Tour Companies in Italy

[narnia1]

I had been doing some research on tours with "RomeinLimo" tour company recommended by many on CC. I then discovered "LimoinRome" tour company. Does any one know if this is also a good company. They have some good tour offerings. Also, the tour companies charge by the van load. How to get a group of 6 or 8 to share the cost? Do you recommend Viator Tours also? Thanks.

[redheadesq]

How do you find people to share tours? Where did you post? Did you post on Meet and Mingle? I need some help with this...Thanks!!!

[sammiedawg]

Post on the roll call section of this board to join tour groups. Find your sailing, if there is not a thread yet , start one. Private drivers and tour groups are the way to see Europe on a cruise ship.

I don't know the meet and mingle section at all.

[chipmaster]

I had been doing some research on tours with "RomeinLimo" tour company recommended by many on CC. I then discovered "LimoinRome" tour company. Does any one know if this is also a good company. They have some good tour offerings. Also, the tour companies charge by the van load. How to get a group of 6 or 8 to share the cost? Do you recommend Viator Tours also? Thanks.

 

Do try and get 7-8 people as it makes the price very reasonable for a private tour. Even for 4 people at double the effective price I still think its a "value" The number of attractions you can get to, the amount walking you'll need to do and the overall quality of the limited time in port still makes the private tour worth paying a little more then the most extravagant ship big bus tour.

 

As OP has mentioned go to your ship's roll call and look for a thread for your specific sailing and post a request or look for those looking to join a tour. We met two nice couples that rounded our tours to two full vans.

 

You can find the line to rollcalls here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

 

BTW we used Romeinlimo, if I was to do a one day tour out of Naples, Livorno or Civatecchia again I'd use them as long as Dumo and Janey are still running the show.

[samavarcruiser]

I had been doing some research on tours with "RomeinLimo" tour company recommended by many on CC. I then discovered "LimoinRome" tour company. Does any one know if this is also a good company. They have some good tour offerings. Also, the tour companies charge by the van load. How to get a group of 6 or 8 to share the cost? Do you recommend Viator Tours also? Thanks.

 

Romeinlimo VS Limoinrome :confused:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=738183&highlight=romeinlimo

 

 

Viator question :confused:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=972763

 

Happy Planning :)

[Travel to Ports]

With the Likelihood of Being Criticized by the Most Predictable Here:

Consider the following:

(1) Selection of specific drivers or guides who live either in port area or where you are going to be touring (versus a driver from Rome picking you up in Naples for a tour of the Amalfi coast).

(2) Selection of specific drivers or guides who have a reputation for emailing you to develop tours and answer questions.

(3) Prices for an 8-passenger van for the day can run from 500 euros (62.5/each) to 650 euros (81.25/each).

(4) Questions such as this one almost NEVER generate any negative comments -- doesn't seem that in any situation this represents the total picture now, does it?

Take your time and consider the alternatives,

David

traveltoports@yahoo.com

[hrfs]

I used Rome in Limo last fall for Naples, Rome and Florence. Don't have any experience with the other tour groups you mentioned. Rome in Limo was great, the drivers were terrific as were the two private guides (Pompeii and Rome) that they arranged for us. We found someone to share one of our tours in our Roll Call. It does make things more reasonable. Good luck with planning your tours, I know you will have a great time in Italy. One of my all time favorite places to visit.

[FinelyRetired]

With the Likelihood of Being Criticized by the Most Predictable Here:

Consider the following:

(1) Selection of specific drivers or guides who live either in port area or where you are going to be touring (versus a driver from Rome picking you up in Naples for a tour of the Amalfi coast).

(2) Selection of specific drivers or guides who have a reputation for emailing you to develop tours and answer questions.

(3) Prices for an 8-passenger van for the day can run from 500 euros (62.5/each) to 650 euros (81.25/each).

(4) Questions such as this one almost NEVER generate any negative comments -- doesn't seem that in any situation this represents the total picture now, does it?

Take your time and consider the alternatives,

David

traveltoports@yahoo.com

Good points!

 

For clarification, at least with respect to Rome In Limo with which I've dealt, their tour guides live in the specific port areas they work in and not simply coming from Rome as I understand it for the bookings I have in Naples & Livorno. In Palermo, where I used Rome in Limo in January, our guide was a local and very knowledgeable of the area.

 

Any reputable tour company will be up front with respect to where the guide lives that is conducting your tour. If this is a concern, be sure to ask.

 

Martha

[DebbieandBrian]

My experience with romeinlimo has been to my upmost satisfaction. Duman and Jany have been nothing but professional and accomodating to any specific needs I have. I've used them a few times when in Italy, and will be using them in December 2009 again.

 

You will find that a simple email to them with your concerns and questions will be answered promptly and with details. I truly enjoy their excursions and will continue to use them again.

 

Debora

[catergirl]

we had a 12 day med cruise booked 18 months befroe our sept/08 cruise and i started our roll call. there wasnt a lot of action at first, but getting 6 months before then people really started posting. i booked all private tours and posted on the boards what i had and the cost. if anyone wanted further info id let them know. at first i was a bit concerned that i would have a big cost for 2 people, but all of a sudden everyone wanted to share. then there wasnt enough room and others had to get a group together. for the price of a private tour, small group and the quality of what more you see compared to the ships offerings, people see it and it shouldnt be a problem.

also heard great things about romeinlimo

[narnia1]

Thank you all for your great responses. I appreciate all he information about drivers. We have posted under Roll Calls for our sailing and hopefully will have a group of 6-8 for the tours we want.

[SOOKIENY]

Just returned from a 15 day TA on the NCL Gem. Fantastic cruise made even better by our tours in Rome and Florence with RomeinLimo. Our drivers Duman (Rome) and John (Florence) were extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. They also set up a tour guide for us at the Vatican. Mercedes vans were spotless and roomy. There were six of us on each tour, that got together through our roll call. Our day in Florence was a national holiday and all the museums were closed. RIL worked with us in designing a tour of the Tuscany wine region with a wine tasting and lunch at a winery and a visit to a fantastic Medieval village as well as a stop in Pisa. In Rome, we got to see so many things that a bus tour would not have done and had a terrific lunch at a trattoria recommended by Duman. Jany is very quick with e-mail responses to questions you may have. All in all I feel they really have their act together and look forward to returning to Italy and touring with them again. I believe there were three groups that booked with them from our ship and everyone we spoke to had positive remarks. Book with them, you won't be sorry.

[Longtime Cruiser]

We booked Rome in Limo based on recommendations on CC. I used another tour operator for France. Both were excellent. However, last year we did a British Isles cruise on Grand Princess. All tours from the ship's excursions to private were not up to the standards we came to expect from our expereiences in Italy and France. Finally, we felt it was the area and not a particular tour operator.

 

This year, once again we are using Rome in Limo.

 

If you are looking to share a tour, I have always found my fellow passengers on the roll call thread.

 

Enjoy!

Steven