RomeInLimo questions

[CruisingG8R]

This may seem a little trite but does Romeinlimo take credit cards as payment for the tours? The website states payment is at the end of "services provided" or end of tour in Euros only. Any help would be appreciated Thanks

[hylasgirl]

This may seem a little trite but does Romeinlimo take credit cards as payment for the tours? The website states payment is at the end of "services provided" or end of tour in Euros only. Any help would be appreciated Thanks

 

 

We've always paid at the end of the tour with euros. When I've personally set up the tour, I've had people pay me in advance to that I am not collecting money throughout the day. When people ask me about tipping, I always tell them that I do tip, but it's a personal thing and I hate to tell people what I think is a good amount. Many people will gladly tell you what they think is the right amount:D

[RzCruzes]

Payment is "usually" paid at the end of the tour in cash, in Euro, but you can always ask Jany about prepaying with a credit card, thru the website. She will do all she can to help you. :):)

[notentirelynormal]

This may seem a little trite but does Romeinlimo take credit cards as payment for the tours? The website states payment is at the end of "services prov.ided" or end of tour in Euros only. Any help would be appreciated Thanks

 

RIL takes payment in the form of Euros or Travelers checks - again in Euros. No cash accepted except for tips.

[Ashland]

RIL takes payment in the form of Euros or Travelers checks - again in Euros. No cash accepted except for tips.

Please explain what you mean by "No cash accepted"...If you're paying in Euros...that is cash :confused:

[hilltoplane]

We just got back from a 12 night Mediterranean Cruise and used various private tour co's for Ephesus, Istanbul, Naples and Rome. Luca from RomeinLimo for our Rome tour was the best! He was great, informative, animated and passionate about his job. He took us to where we wanted to go easily and even found us an off the beaten path pizza place for lunch which was fabulous. Lucas knew so much, he acted both as a driver and a guide combined.

 

Nicola was our driver in Naples and was also really good. Amazing driving through the Amalfi Coast.

 

I would highly recommend using them again. They are easy to work with by email, very responsive and flexible. They gave us tips of which tour to go to and to buy tickets ahead of time.

[mthayer295]

We are booked for three day with RIL on our upcoming cruise. We got linked up with 6 other great people on the roll call. I am now turning my attention to getting euros for the trip and I was trying to determine a good estimated amount for tips and lunches each day. I see many references on this thread to tipping in what I would expect 15-20% range. What I would like some feedback on from those of you who have experienced RIL, what is a good estimate for the amount needed for lunches and/or do the restaurants you have been taken to by RIL take plastic?

[wantocruisemore]

We are booked for three day with RIL on our upcoming cruise. We got linked up with 6 other great people on the roll call. I am now turning my attention to getting euros for the trip and I was trying to determine a good estimated amount for tips and lunches each day. I see many references on this thread to tipping in what I would expect 15-20% range. What I would like some feedback on from those of you who have experienced RIL, what is a good estimate for the amount needed for lunches and/or do the restaurants you have been taken to by RIL take plastic?

 

It seems like the restaurants were in the 10-15 euro per person range. But you can specify if you want a quick pizzeria or a several course lunch. For Sorrento we wanted something inbetween. I think it ran around 12 euros per person. But we did not get wine. For lunches we usually drank water since it was hot and we wanted to stay hydrated. I can think of only 1 lunch we got wine and that was more like an early dinner.

 

RIL are really flexible. Just tell them what you want.

 

We didn't check about plastic for lunch, mainly because we were two families dividing up everything.

[chasinraynbowz]

We have booked RIL for our upcoming cruise in Oct. I have a couple of questions....

 

1. Is there a lot of walking? One of the reasons I chose a private tour over the ships tour is that the ships tour description said that you need to be able to walk 3 miles or so. My mom is 70 and while in good health, can not walk 3 miles at a time.

 

2. Will we have time for shopping? We want to shop for souvenirs in Rome and at the Vatican.

 

Thanks for any help!!!

[David]

Hi All:

 

I recently returned from a 14-night cruise on Independence of the Seas and have posted a long review in the Member Review Section of this website. I am appending below the portion of the review relating to our experience using Romeinlimo (for the third cruise) at the ports of Livorno and Civitavecchia.

 

David

 

Livorno (11.5 shore hours available): We returned to Livorno after having had a two-day overnight port stop during a 12-night cruise around Italy on Legend of the Seas in 2009. Once again we hired Romeinlimo for a 9-hour tour, having used them several time before during port stops in Italy in 2003 and 2009 – including 4 full-day tours in 2009. So much has been written about Romeinlimo in recent years that there is little that I can add except to say that they totally live up to their incredibly positive reputation; in all my cruising experience, Romeinlimo is by far the best touring company I have used – and most of our private tours have been very good. Duman, the owner, and Jany, who does most of the email arrangements, are great to deal with. Their drivers are friendly, share their extensive knowledge of the region, assist getting you into major attractions without waiting in long lines, and are just fun to chat with. If you are planning a cruise that stops in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, or Messina (Sicily), do yourself a favor and hire them to take you around for a truly memorable day.

 

Having been to Florence, Pisa, San Gemignano, and Sienna with Romeinlimo in 2009, we arranged a tour of Lucca and the Bolgheri wine region southwest of Pisa. Vinny, our driver met us at the pier at 8 a.m. and off we went to Lucca, birthplace of Puccini. We spent the morning driving and walking through the central city, which is circumvented by a large wall. Our tour included stops at 3 churches, and we had plenty of time to wander the streets and shop. Vinny was very patient and helpful, ensuring that everyone in our group found the items they wanted to purchase. Lucca is a lovely town that is often overlooked by tourists, especially from the cruise ships because so many passengers go to Florence and Pisa – but I thought it was well worth seeing. After the drive to the Bogheri region we stopped in a small village for lunch at one of the wineries and sampled one of the local wines. We then drove to a nearby village atop a hill that provided wonderful panoramic vistas of the southwestern portion of Tuscany. In short, we had a lovely day with Vinny seeing portions of Tuscany that most cruise passengers just don’t get to see.

 

Civitavecchia (11.5 shore hours available): This port for the city of Rome is located northwest of the city. In 2009, our cruise began and ended here and we had three full days in Rome prior to our cruise. In addition to the 4 full-day tours that year, Romeinlimo also provided our transfers between Fiumincino Airport, our hotel in Rome, and the ship. Because we had seen most of the essential places in Rome in 2009, we hired Romeinlimo to take us to Tivoli, located in the northeast suburbs of Rome. Our driver, Mauro, met us at the pier at 8 a.m. and took us to Tivoli, passing through part of Rome, and we stopped at an overlook adjacent to the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican and a beautiful fountain and monument, located atop one of the hills on the southeastern side of Rome, where we had a panoramic view of the city in the morning light. There were cypress trees nearby that I recognized from photos I had taken from the steps of St. Peters two years ago looking up to a hillside overlooking the city. We then drove to Tivoli, which has two sections – a lower part and an upper part located atop a large hill. In the lower part of Tivoli we visited Hadrian’s Estate – a rather large area somewhat reminiscent of Pompeii and other Roman excavation sites we’ve visited. Although nicely laid out, there was a fair amount of restoration going on and the signage was not very good, and so it was not always easy to find our way through the site. Mauro then took us up the hill to the Villa d’Este – a remarkable estate with gardens and fountains that nearly rival those at Versailles. The panoramic views of the Estruscan countryside were magnificent, and the garden and fountains were truly extraordinary. This place proved to be a highlight, and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Mauro throughout the day’s driving. We returned to the ship just in time to clean up and head for James and the Diamond Lounge for pre-dinner cocktails. Once again, Romeinlimo provided us with another wonderful day of sightseeing in Italy. Gracie, Duman, Jany, Vinny, and Mauro!

[notentirelynormal]

Please explain what you mean by "No cash accepted"...If you're paying in Euros...that is cash :confused:

 

Sorry - bad choice of words. I meant no credit cards accepted and to pay in Euros.

[notentirelynormal]

We have booked RIL for our upcoming cruise in Oct. I have a couple of questions....

 

1. Is there a lot of walking? One of the reasons I chose a private tour over the ships tour is that the ships tour description said that you need to be able to walk 3 miles or so. My mom is 70 and while in good health, can not walk 3 miles at a time.

 

2. Will we have time for shopping? We want to shop for souvenirs in Rome and at the Vatican.

 

Thanks for any help!!!

 

My mother also has trouble walking. We brought her handicap placard and used that. Between having a limo driver and the placard we were able to get closer to attractions (think right at the front door of some) as well as being able to drive through towns that normally wouldn't allow cars. It was a life saver. This was true in Barcelona and Nice/Monaco as well.

[chasinraynbowz]

My mother also has trouble walking. We brought her handicap placard and used that. Between having a limo driver and the placard we were able to get closer to attractions (think right at the front door of some) as well as being able to drive through towns that normally wouldn't allow cars. It was a life saver. This was true in Barcelona and Nice/Monaco as well.

 

 

I am not sure if she has a placard or not, I will have to ask. That is a great idea if she has one!!

 

Were you able to shop while in Rome? My sister asked me about that one today. She is worried she won't have time to shop for souvenirs in Rome and in Vatican City.

[TroubleT]

I've read tons of positive reviews of RomeInLimo. Do not mean to sound cheap, but 400 EURO for 8 hours for just 2 of us seems a little bit too much, considering that we'll spend half of this time in Vatican touring on our own or hiring an additional guide there and it wiill add up to the cost. I would like to hear more specifics about their service during 8 hours. We'll be in Rome for 2 full days. Is it possible to cover the major attractions (Coliseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, Trevi fountain and Piazza Navona) in two days without a help from RomeInLimo and without rushing? My husband is in OK shape but he is an older gentleman and I wouldn't want to stress him out.

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, you can see the main sites in 2 days on your own. Using a private tour really allows to the best management of your time, compared to the ship's 40-50 person herds. Plus the "one on one" interaction certainly imparts more info to you, which many people also see as a great benefit.

 

I think the positive comments here should imply to you the benefits of a private tour. But if it doesn't fit your budget, there are other ways.

Edited July 31, 2011 by CruiserBruce

[chasinraynbowz]

I've read tons of positive reviews of RomeInLimo. Do not mean to sound cheap, but 400 EURO for 8 hours for just 2 of us seems a little bit too much, considering that we'll spend half of this time in Vatican touring on our own or hiring an additional guide there and it wiill add up to the cost. I would like to hear more specifics about their service during 8 hours. We'll be in Rome for 2 full days. Is it possible to cover the major attractions (Coliseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, Trevi fountain and Piazza Navona) in two days without a help from RomeInLimo and without rushing? My husband is in OK shape but he is an older gentleman and I wouldn't want to stress him out.

 

 

If we had more time in Rome, I would not be hiring a private tour guide. But, since we have one day, we want to get the most out of our day and Rome In Limo seems the best way to do that.

 

Comparing costs - we are paying 25 euros more thru RIL than thru the cruiseline, but we are getting a more personalized tour AND a private guide at the Vatican. To me, its worth it!

[samavarcruiser]

Hi All:

 

I recently returned from a 14-night cruise on Independence of the Seas and have posted a long review in the Member Review Section of this website. I am appending below the portion of the review relating to our experience using Romeinlimo (for the third cruise) at the ports of Livorno and Civitavecchia.

 

David

 

Livorno (11.5 shore hours available): We returned to Livorno after having had a two-day overnight port stop during a 12-night cruise around Italy on Legend of the Seas in 2009. Once again we hired Romeinlimo for a 9-hour tour, having used them several time before during port stops in Italy in 2003 and 2009 – including 4 full-day tours in 2009. So much has been written about Romeinlimo in recent years that there is little that I can add except to say that they totally live up to their incredibly positive reputation; in all my cruising experience, Romeinlimo is by far the best touring company I have used – and most of our private tours have been very good. Duman, the owner, and Jany, who does most of the email arrangements, are great to deal with. Their drivers are friendly, share their extensive knowledge of the region, assist getting you into major attractions without waiting in long lines, and are just fun to chat with. If you are planning a cruise that stops in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, or Messina (Sicily), do yourself a favor and hire them to take you around for a truly memorable day.

 

Having been to Florence, Pisa, San Gemignano, and Sienna with Romeinlimo in 2009, we arranged a tour of Lucca and the Bolgheri wine region southwest of Pisa. Vinny, our driver met us at the pier at 8 a.m. and off we went to Lucca, birthplace of Puccini. We spent the morning driving and walking through the central city, which is circumvented by a large wall. Our tour included stops at 3 churches, and we had plenty of time to wander the streets and shop. Vinny was very patient and helpful, ensuring that everyone in our group found the items they wanted to purchase. Lucca is a lovely town that is often overlooked by tourists, especially from the cruise ships because so many passengers go to Florence and Pisa – but I thought it was well worth seeing. After the drive to the Bogheri region we stopped in a small village for lunch at one of the wineries and sampled one of the local wines. We then drove to a nearby village atop a hill that provided wonderful panoramic vistas of the southwestern portion of Tuscany. In short, we had a lovely day with Vinny seeing portions of Tuscany that most cruise passengers just don’t get to see.

 

Civitavecchia (11.5 shore hours available): This port for the city of Rome is located northwest of the city. In 2009, our cruise began and ended here and we had three full days in Rome prior to our cruise. In addition to the 4 full-day tours that year, Romeinlimo also provided our transfers between Fiumincino Airport, our hotel in Rome, and the ship. Because we had seen most of the essential places in Rome in 2009, we hired Romeinlimo to take us to Tivoli, located in the northeast suburbs of Rome. Our driver, Mauro, met us at the pier at 8 a.m. and took us to Tivoli, passing through part of Rome, and we stopped at an overlook adjacent to the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican and a beautiful fountain and monument, located atop one of the hills on the southeastern side of Rome, where we had a panoramic view of the city in the morning light. There were cypress trees nearby that I recognized from photos I had taken from the steps of St. Peters two years ago looking up to a hillside overlooking the city. We then drove to Tivoli, which has two sections – a lower part and an upper part located atop a large hill. In the lower part of Tivoli we visited Hadrian’s Estate – a rather large area somewhat reminiscent of Pompeii and other Roman excavation sites we’ve visited. Although nicely laid out, there was a fair amount of restoration going on and the signage was not very good, and so it was not always easy to find our way through the site. Mauro then took us up the hill to the Villa d’Este – a remarkable estate with gardens and fountains that nearly rival those at Versailles. The panoramic views of the Estruscan countryside were magnificent, and the garden and fountains were truly extraordinary. This place proved to be a highlight, and we thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Mauro throughout the day’s driving. We returned to the ship just in time to clean up and head for James and the Diamond Lounge for pre-dinner cocktails. Once again, Romeinlimo provided us with another wonderful day of sightseeing in Italy. Gracie, Duman, Jany, Vinny, and Mauro!

 

Thanks for sharing your review with us David, is very helpful, wish you could include also some pictures of Tivoli Gardens and Tuscany :)

Edited August 1, 2011 by samavarcruiser

[zztraveler]

Does anyone have space for 6 people from the Hotel Delle Nationale in the Spanish Steps area to the port on October 22nd?

[wantocruisemore]

Does anyone have space for 6 people from the Hotel Delle Nationale in the Spanish Steps area to the port on October 22nd?

 

 

You will probably get more response if you go to the roll call for your ship. You didn't indicate which ship, only the date, so sorry can't direct you. Just go under your cruise line's name for roll calls and look up departures for Oct. 22. The roll call is usually the best place to find ride shares.

[momva]

I'm a little delayed in writing this but wanted to add my voice to those that have wonderful experiences with Rome in Limo. We used them for transfers as well as two tours in Rome. We found them to be more than punctual, even showing up early at our Rome hotel to transport us to Civitaveccia, and very professional.

 

While staying Rome, we had Maurizio as a guide for a tour of Rome, hitting all the highlights. We had seen the Vatican already so instead he took us to the catacombs. Maurizio was charming and professional and was particularly attentive to my son and neice (ages 10 and 11). Our group of 8 thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Maurizio and would strongly recommend him and Rome in Limo.

 

The day we ended our cruise, our family of 3 hired Rome in Limo again for a slightly truncated version of the Etruscan tour with a transfer to the airport (our flight was that evening). Another Maurizio was waiting for us when we got off the Noordam. He suggested a possible modification to the tour as that day there was an English guided tour of the Medieval castle at Bracciano. We happily agreed. So, we started off the day at Cerviteri tromping around Etruscan tombs. Fascinating and fun. There were no crowds as it was still early. We then drove to Lake Bracciano where Maurizio treated us to espresso. If you have not been, Lake Bracciano is beautiful and serene. Then, it was off to the castle for a tour. The castle was lovely. The tour was informative, and the views were spectacular. We then went to Ceri, another Medieval town, where there is a special little church. We had lunch at Ceri in a restaurant that used to be a Medieval prison. The wine cellar, which we were invited to visit, was an old tomb. Again, the views were spectacular and the food was wonderful. Alas, we did not have time for the Etruscan museum as we had to catch our plan. Well, we will just have to go back for more. This Maurizio was just as charming as the first and kept us entertained with his stories. I have decided this was the best day of our trip.

[zztraveler]

Sorry I forgot to post that I am looking for a bus/van for 6 of us to join from Rome to Port for the Silouette on Oct 22nd. I already posted on Silouette roll call. Thanks.

[D&BLUV2CRUISE]

We just got back from a 12 day cruise and Rome was our first stop. We booked Romeinlimo with Nick as our driver and Katherine was our tour guide. They were great, very professional, always on time and a wealth of information. I had learned about them on the boards and 2 other couples from Cruise Critics joined us to cut down on the cost. We had decided the addtional cost for the licensed tour guide was worth it. Also, by buying your tickets to the Coluseum and the Vatican ahead of time on line and having the tour guide, you don't have to wait in line... which was really long. ;)

Rome is one of the 5 most expensive cities, so things are just more expensive there. But, by hiring Romeinlimo, you get to see a great deal more in a short time, it's more personal and private, and you'll save a bunch off of the ship's excursion prices.

 

I would highly recommmend Romeinlimo, and would certainly use them again in the future. Now... just to go back.... lol :rolleyes:

[MBnancy]

"we arranged a tour of Lucca and the Bolgheri wine region southwest of Pisa. Vinny, our driver met us at the pier at 8 a.m. and off we went to Lucca, birthplace of Puccini. We spent the morning driving and walking through the central city, which is circumvented by a large wall. Our tour included stops at 3 churches, and we had plenty of time to wander the streets and shop. Vinny was very patient and helpful, ensuring that everyone in our group found the items they wanted to purchase. Lucca is a lovely town that is often overlooked by tourists, especially from the cruise ships because so many passengers go to Florence and Pisa – but I thought it was well worth seeing. After the drive to the Bogheri region we stopped in a small village for lunch at one of the wineries and sampled one of the local wines. We then drove to a nearby village atop a hill that provided wonderful panoramic vistas of the southwestern portion of Tuscany. In short, we had a lovely day with Vinny seeing portions of Tuscany that most cruise passengers just don’t get to see."

 

David,

We are thinking of doing something like this. Great report by the way. How many were in your group to Lucca, and what was the cost if I may ask? We are 4 adults and one 7 year old girl.

 

Did the limo drive into Lucca, so that you could get out and walk? One in our party has mobility issues. Or did it park outside the walls and wait for you?

 

Thank you for any information.

[David]

MBNancy:

 

We had 6 people in the group. The driver took us through the narrow streets of inner lucca in the van, stopping several times along the way, and even twice in the same location so that we could do some shopping (as the shops were closed because it was too early the first time we stopped at this piazza to visit one of the churches).

 

It was very interesting how the pedestrian traffic got busier as the morning wore on and I was very impressed with Vinny's skill in negotiating the narrow streets with so many people walking along them.

 

David

[sevenseassailor]

Have settled on full day Rome tour with RIL. We are not big on art so I am wondering if we really need a guide for Vatican part of the tour in afternoon. Jamy says it's extra 150 Euros. Any thoughts?