RomeInLimo questions

[eandj]

Sorry to hear Naples didn't meet up to your expectations.

 

During our cruise last year we worked with 6 drivers ( 2 each in 3 ports ). During my planning I had asked about "reserving" the more highly recommended, but was told that they schedule them a week out so they couldn't gurantee, YMMV. Out of our 6 drivers I'd say we got 3 A+ drivers, 1 A, 1 B+ and 1 C. The "C" driver sounds similar to your driver, didn't communicate well, knew the routine but just executed to the routine. Unless you gave him specific feedback he'd simply follow the script. Luckily we always had a second driver and between the two we always ended up on schedule. In reflection 4/6 outstanding is still a damm good record and I'd still recommend RIL to my friends. Lets face it RIL is a big operation now, unless you find the single driver with his own van you'll likely have to expect and plan for the quality variations of a larger operation.

 

A recommendation to all people going on private tours! You really should have a strong idea of what you want to see, schedule, and also the risk/limitations for each port. Do a little research before hand. Doing a little research and making mid day corrections isn't something you should carelessly leave to the driver. Yes a A+ driver will proactively do it for you, but a C driver may or may not. Why chance it... Plan, confirm and if things change, change accordingly. This little additional effort is well worth it as we all know Murphy can rear his head at anytime.

 

RIL have a pretty good script for all our 3 ports. Naples/Amalif was the one that I already knew was going to be a stretch. If one plans Pompeii for two hours, wants to do a leisure lunch, and also leisure shopping and the whole coast I think that is a total stretch. A good driver would likely tell you that is a stretch and ask you what you really want to do once you hit a traffic jam. A C driver may just try to check of the things off and that sounds like what happened In the end a tourer really MUST take some responsibility into their own hand or at least initiate the conversation with the driver/guide when things come up.

 

I totally agree with your statement that the guides can have their strengths and different level of service..and of course that all can vary by day. Ours admitted feeling under the weather. Is that really what you want to hear and expect from a driver? Can't really prepare for that.

 

As far as being proactive on the itinerary. If you are a typical tourist, new to the area, you depend on the driver you hired to keep you informed if there is a difficulty in meeting your expectations and the itinerary. A tourist would need to know driving times between each city on a normal day. Then you would need a clock watcher to make sure those times are being met. I guess, with all the research we did ahead of time, that was one thing we missed. But paying what we did for the driver to complete our itinerary, I'd think the HE would act as clock watcher and let us enjoy the sites and stops. If things look like they might need to change, he should let the customers know EARLY ON, that they need to make some adjustments.

 

I think the reaction to my report of a dissappointing day is most helpful. It DOES give newbies some ideas to think about. And lets reality, good or bad, show its face. We enjoyed our RIL guides in Rome. Also our guide for Florence with Pleasant Tours. So we do have other guides to compare. And all but one were very good.

We would use private drivers again. But we are much wiser now.

Another thought for private tour newbies....

 

We did not have this problem on any of our tours.... however we heard from others that the plans of one couple on a tour can be totally different than others. So before you book with others via the roll call board, agree on what you want to do at the stops. Some people are only interested in photo taking and that can take time, extra stops etc. Some are most interested in churches, ruins etc. If others in the van want to spend more time shopping, the conflicts can arise. It's sort of like dating :) ...gotta find people who are on the same page or flexible enough to go with the flow.

Edited September 25, 2009 by eandj

[travelite]

We just returned this week from our Med cruise. We used Romeinlimo for both Rome and Naples. Rome was a fine experience. Also used a private guide thru RiL for the Vatican which was a smart move as we learned alot.

 

However, the Naples guide, Raphael, was a disaster. :( We joined the Pompeii/drive to Sorrento and Positano excursion. Firstly he was not a friendly or particulary verbal driver. English was not as strong as we'd had liked. We drove to Pompeii where we had a private guide for the 2 hours. No problem there.

 

However after leaving, we hit a traffic jam which caused us to take more than twice as long to get to Sorrento. Now the driver told us he was from the area. However, he didn't know that this hugely popular church festival on the way to Sorrento was happening on this day? :rolleyes: After a mediocre lunch (very small menu) at a restaurant with a beautiful view, the driver said we had no time to go to Positano. :mad: He hemmed and hawed about we would only have 15 min to "walk down the hill and then walk back up". Did he tell us before the long lunch? NO. We all would have chosen to pick up a snack and just move on down the coast to Positano. We ended up just going back to Sorrento for another 40 min. Sorrento is beautiful, but our day was incomplete without the visit to Positano.

 

I have written Rome in Limo re our complaints. The driver was on the phone several times. Did anyone tell him to do the itinerary in reverse to avoid the traffic? We don't know. All I know is that when we returned back to the ship, everyone we talked to said their drivers changed up their itinerary and routes to avoid the traffic. Hmmm why didn't our driver?

 

Rome in Limo gets so many happy recommendations here. But I will join the others who have had problems with drivers. Perhaps they are growing too large to check on the driver service? We did a tour in Florence with Pleasant Tours and it was excellent. Young, energetic driver who was entertaining and fun. The direct opposite of our driver from RiL for the Naples excursion. :rolleyes:

 

Maybe before booking with Rome in Limo, you should chck out names of drivers who get outstanding comments after their tours. Avoid anyone called Rafael.

 

From Naples, or Salerno ports we use Sorrento Silver Star. They are truly local, reliable, and aim to please in every way. They will taylor the tour as you request at a reasonably price. Their drivers and vehicles are great. They cover the entire Amalfi coast and locations out of Naples and Sorrento.

Romeinlimo is a very large company. I think they are fantastic for Rome. Outside of the Rome area, I search for a reliable company that is local to the city or area.

[CintiPam]

I think they are fantastic for Rome. Outside of the Rome area, I search for a reliable company that is local to the city or area.

 

I strongly concur with your advice.

[BigGuy25]

I strongly concur with your advice.

 

Not arguing with your method of only engaging local companies ... simply saying that we found all of our Rome in Limo drivers to be "local" to the area we were visiting. They all lived in the areas where they were working and were great in talking about their particular region of Italy.

[David]

I'll second that last posting about the drivers being local. virtually every company -- and definitely Romeinlimo, uses drivers who are local to the ports. Our drivers in Tuscany lived there their entire life! The same is true for our drivers in Messina (or drivers were from Taormina, where we spend half the day), and Naples. Our problem with RIL during the Naples day was not really with the quality or knowledge of the drivers, but with the realities of the ambitious itinerary for the day and our sense that RIL drivers doing day tours of the Amalfi Coast tend to prefer the same hillside restaurant. Had we known where the restaurant in Sorrento would be and how little time would be remaining to see Sorrento before we stopped for lunch, I'm certain we would have prevailed on the drivers take us straight to Sorrento (although I felt that one of our drivers was a bit put off that we rushed him out of the restaurant).

[BigGuy25]

... our sense that RIL drivers doing day tours of the Amalfi Coast tend to prefer the same hillside restaurant. .

 

I think that's true ... if you ask for that view. We told our driver that we wanted a "seaside" restaurant and he took us to a great place which translated to "The Restaurant at Dolphin Beach." A different altitude but still a great view. It was on the coast in Sorrento so it took no time to get there!!! And, it was fabulous!!!!

Edited September 26, 2009 by BigGuy25

[honkerbird2]

1. You do not need a guide at the Colosseum or any other site.

2. We had an amazing guide at the Vatican. It is just too vast to do on your own as part of a day tour. We never stood in any line at any time on this tour. That's what is so great about their service. It is seamless and you get to see everything. We even had an amazing meal at a restaurant adjacent to the Vatican. The meal was terrific and again, since the restaurant handles Rome In Limo's customers, they can get you in and out so that you can enjoy a great meal but spend max time at the Vatican.

3. Yes, you do need to tip the driver and guide. We tipped our driver 10E each (he was great) and our guide (5E each). There were 6 of us in our group.

[Ms Understood]

Big Guy, we also went to Il Dolfino. Its family run and the food is wonderful. Loved it. we did not use RIL tho . Each time we are in Italy we use easitalytours.com and have never had a complaint. They are of course a much smaller company than RIL and therefore probably a bit more responsive to what their customer wants rather than what "everybody" does.

-----------------------

Helen

[goaliebob]

Just returned from Med cruise, and used Rome in Limo for for Naples, Florence, and Rome. Driver, Gianni, in Naples was our favorite. He was animated and engaging, annd very fun:). We went to Pompeii first, drove the coast stopped for pictures, Sorrento for inlaid wood factory tour (quick pizza), Positano for an hour, and the Cameo factory. It was a great day and Gianni was terrific. In Florence, our booked driver sent a substitute because he had the flu....the substitute was fine, got us from point a to B, but wasn't very engaging. However, we had requested a tour guide that we had in 2007 when we booked with another company. RomeinLimo, found our tour guide, and made arrangements for us! It was fabulous. In Rome, we had Mauro for a driver, and Lucia for a Vatican guide....both were excellent. We were able to see many things that we did not see when we came in 2007. Overall, it was a great trip, and a great value. I wouldn't hesitate to use Rome in Limo again.

[hylasgirl]

We just returned this week from our Med cruise. We used Romeinlimo for both Rome and Naples. Rome was a fine experience. Also used a private guide thru RiL for the Vatican which was a smart move as we learned alot.

 

However, the Naples guide, Raphael, was a disaster. :( We joined the Pompeii/drive to Sorrento and Positano excursion. Firstly he was not a friendly or particulary verbal driver. English was not as strong as we'd had liked. We drove to Pompeii where we had a private guide for the 2 hours. No problem there.

 

However after leaving, we hit a traffic jam which caused us to take more than twice as long to get to Sorrento. Now the driver told us he was from the area. However, he didn't know that this hugely popular church festival on the way to Sorrento was happening on this day? :rolleyes: After a mediocre lunch (very small menu) at a restaurant with a beautiful view, the driver said we had no time to go to Positano. :mad: He hemmed and hawed about we would only have 15 min to "walk down the hill and then walk back up". Did he tell us before the long lunch? NO. We all would have chosen to pick up a snack and just move on down the coast to Positano. We ended up just going back to Sorrento for another 40 min. Sorrento is beautiful, but our day was incomplete without the visit to Positano.

 

I have written Rome in Limo re our complaints. The driver was on the phone several times. Did anyone tell him to do the itinerary in reverse to avoid the traffic? We don't know. All I know is that when we returned back to the ship, everyone we talked to said their drivers changed up their itinerary and routes to avoid the traffic. Hmmm why didn't our driver?

 

Rome in Limo gets so many happy recommendations here. But I will join the others who have had problems with drivers. Perhaps they are growing too large to check on the driver service? We did a tour in Florence with Pleasant Tours and it was excellent. Young, energetic driver who was entertaining and fun. The direct opposite of our driver from RiL for the Naples excursion. :rolleyes:

 

Maybe before booking with Rome in Limo, you should chck out names of drivers who get outstanding comments after their tours. Avoid anyone called Rafael.

 

 

We had Raffaelo with RomeinLimo and had a fantastic day. Another friend of mine on the Cruise Critic, Terpnut, had the same driver a few weeks later after my recommendation and he had a great day as well. That is unfortunate that you had this experience because I have recommended Raffaelo to everyone! He seriously made our day for our Naples stop. He sang to us... we all sang... He was an absolute blast.

[eandj]

We had Raffaelo with RomeinLimo and had a fantastic day. Another friend of mine on the Cruise Critic, Terpnut, had the same driver a few weeks later after my recommendation and he had a great day as well. That is unfortunate that you had this experience because I have recommended Raffaelo to everyone! He seriously made our day for our Naples stop. He sang to us... we all sang... He was an absolute blast.

 

Sorry not much of a personality on our tour. Like he said...he was ill. Unfortunately it affected our day as well as his. Perhaps he needed to call in someone as replacement.

Singing? He DID play an opera cd all the way back to Naples from Sorrento. Guess he wasn't up to even talk to us. :rolleyes:

[bowlingalleycats]

We used driverinrome.com. Had Daniele Melaragno. He was very aware of the traffic conditions and will tell you if you are trying to do to much in one day. We had a fantastic time.:D

[Grandpaul]

1. We've used RIL and couldn't be happier with them. Saw much more than we would have if we tried it on our own. We're heading back to Italy next year and can't wait for more tours.
   

[travelteach326]

We are arriving in Rome on a Saturday morning in July for a pre-cruise vacation . We will be taking the train to Tuscany on Monday. We wanted to tour ROme and Vatican on Saturday and Sunday, so I emailed RIL and asked what the best scenario would be for our trip. They would pick us up at the airport on Saturday, drop off luggage at hotel and procede to Vatican for a tour. Then on Monday, they would continue with our tour of Rome. We really wanted to leave early on Monday morning. Does anyone have any other suggestions for another tour operator that could give us a tour of Rome on Sunday? I was so disappointed that RIL could not help us out on Sunday. Your input will be appreciated.

[Terpnut]

We are arriving in Rome on a Saturday morning in July for a pre-cruise vacation . We will be taking the train to Tuscany on Monday. We wanted to tour ROme and Vatican on Saturday and Sunday, so I emailed RIL and asked what the best scenario would be for our trip. They would pick us up at the airport on Saturday, drop off luggage at hotel and procede to Vatican for a tour. Then on Monday, they would continue with our tour of Rome. We really wanted to leave early on Monday morning. Does anyone have any other suggestions for another tour operator that could give us a tour of Rome on Sunday? I was so disappointed that RIL could not help us out on Sunday. Your input will be appreciated.

While certainly have a driver and guide is wonderful, there are many things in Roma that are actually best on foot on your own. As you will be hiring RIL for Saturday anyhow, consider asking them to give you a quick city tour by car/bus either before or after your visit to the Vatican. Tell them what your interests are and they will give you ideas for Sunday. Plus a city tour may help you get your bearings. Then, with a good map and some basic plan, walk Rome on your own on Sunday! Specifically, you could do alot of the following on foot at your leisure: Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, Sant'Ignaz1o di Loyola, Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Venetia/Campidoglio, etc. Or consider a day in and around the Villa Borghese, including the Gallerie Borghese and Villa Giulia, and perhaps some time hanging around Piazza del Popolo. I really like RIL, and Jany may hate me for saying this, but you don't need RIL for every day in Roma! :) Edited October 6, 2009 by Terpnut

[Evied1230]

We recently returned form a terrific Mediterranean cruise. We used Romeinlimo for Pisa/Tuscany/Florence and for Rome. Both drivers (Laura and Antonello respectively) were wonderful, knowledgeable, articulate and passionate about their country. The comfort and convenience of these minivans over a tour bus cannot be overstated. There was never a question about us getting back to the ship on time. Absolutely, tipping is appropriate and was very well deserved and appreciated. We did not have them arrange a private tour guide in the Vatican and it was a mistake. It would have been well worth the cost.

[sandinmyshoes]

I'm with those who had the most incredible tours of their entire Europe vacations with Rome In Limo. We used other tour companies when not in Italy and they just didn't measure up to the level of customer service and attention. (I'll post my review at the bottom.) Considering all of their tours are completely customizeable to the passengers wishes, the tour should be exactly what you want it to be. We had no problems accomplishing several hours at Pompeii, driving Amalfi, visiting Positano and Sorrento and getting back to Naples with plenty of time to spare. Our driver was Rosario and he did live in the area, because we actually saw his wife and son crossing the street in front of us and we stopped and said hello. We also enjoyed the lovely Mom & Pop restaurant up on the hill with the amazing view and delicous and abundant food offerings, but were given the choice of a long traditional lunch or a quick snack as we were leaving Pompeii so our group had plenty of time to decide.

 

I have to tell you, everything about each of our tours with RIL was outstanding. As a former Travel Agent, you just don't come across many tour companies who actually take care of their clients like they are long lost family who have come to visit. This is exactly how they treated our entire group and I never mentioned I used to be a travel agent. There are always hits and misses with every company out there, but you can tell from the number of reviews you will find here, that Rome In Limo definetly has many more hits than misses. Just don't be shy and make sure your driver knows your expectations up front and you will be one of those "hits" too!

 

Now onto the original posters questions:

1-They are suggesting an 8 hour tour with a driver, and a guide for the Vatican. Do we need a guide for other sites? Or is the driver usually knowledgeable enough to provide info? The guide will be with you the entire day not just at the Vatican. We did this and our guide, Julia, was worth every penny plus many more! She made not only the Vatican area, but the Colosseum, Pantheon, etc. come alive for us in a way a guide book never could have given! (She was tipped very well! 25%)

2-Have you ever just gotten a guide at the Vatican rather than scheduled one in advance? If so, how did that work out? Did you still have to stand in line for tickets? Can you just visit the "church" on your own without tickets? (I obviously have lots more research to do! I visited Rome years ago, but I was on a tour and they took care of everything.) We had Julia for the day so she was scheduled in advance, but she knew the people inside, so she was able to get us through the lines quickly avoiding the backup of people who didn't have tickets or guides with connections. (Did I mention "worth every penny"?) You can visit all of the Vatican without a guide, but the lines are longer and you won't understand most of what you are seeing in a way that will make a lasting impression.

3-Do you tip on top of the fee for the driver, or is it included? We did tip extra because the RIL rates do NOT include gratuity. I think standard tipping for Italy is 10 - 15%, but for exceptional service (which is what we received) we felt 20% was appropriate. Of course, this is subjective and doesn't have to be decided until the end of your tour. That way, you are actually tipping based on the service provided.

4- Not a romeinlimo question, but has anyone ever done a day trip from Rome to Pompeii? Is that possible? Sorry, I haven't done this. Our cruise stopped in Naples, and we did our excursion from there. Of course, they do offer it on their website www.romeinlimo.com so the details (including price and length) should be there also.

 

Good luck and enjoy your adventure!!!! :) We are returning Nov. of this year and have booked our pre/post cruise Rome stays with RIL as well as our Sicily and Naples tours because they did such an amazing job for us the first time!

 

Promised RIL review...

Rome In Limo is an outstanding company with outstanding drivers and guides! We used them Oct. '07 and were shocked at the amazing service we received for the same prices everyone else charged for standard service.

We used them for our three days in Rome pre-cruise with driver Francesco (and guide Julia for one day). Both were simply perfect. Francesco knew so much about the city that when we were with him he explained everything we saw from the car and would let us out at overlooks and explain the sites before we went inside. He would have been great on his own, but we also really enjoyed having Julia to take us through the Vatican, Coliseum, and other main attractions. Never were we bored because they shared so much information in a fun and exciting way. I do have to say a guide is well worth the money for both the Vatican and Coliseum as they will bring the place alive and explain the nuances of the paintings, sculptures, etc you are viewing. We learned so much about the details of the ceiling at the Sistine Chapel we never would have known otherwise.

We also used Rome In Limo's services for Naples (Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Positano, and Sorrento) and Livorno (Pisa and Florence). Both of the adventures were worth the extra money too. I can't imagine not using them, you would waste so much time stuck in traffic, stuck waiting on others in your large tour group, and be forced to see and do things you aren't interested in. Isn't your vacation time worth making the most out of it?

 

Even though the company's name is Rome In Limo, when you book with them for areas outside of Rome, they use local drivers who know the area inside and out. Our driver for Naples was Rosario and he was superb! He lived in Positano and knew so many wonderful stories about the surrounding areas. We did have Rome In Limo hire a guide for our visit to Pompeii and we were very glad we did. He (Raphaela) took us back in time so we could imagine Pompeii before and after the disaster. In fact, Rosario got us there before any other groups and we got in just as the gates were opening. We were inside Pompeii for almost an hour before we ever saw another group. By the time we made it back to the entrance to Pompeii, the crowds were already getting thick so we realized what a treasure Rome In Limo provided for us!

Laura was our driver out of Livorno. Again we arrived at the Tower of Pisa right before opening, so we were able to climb and see the other sites in the area before the crowds of people showed up! Certainly worth every penny! It was olive harvesting season so she asked if we wanted to go to an Olive Oil processing facility. It was very small and family-run. We got to see step-by-step the process that takes the olives from fruit to oil. It was fascinating, and not one of the rip-off tours where you have to buy a bunch of stuff at the end and the guide gets a kickback. This was the real thing! After that we went to Florence via Tuscany and saw so many wonderful things. Laura, like the other Rome In Limo drivers, brought the area alive for us and told us so many interesting stories about the areas we visited.

Again, it was all well worth the money!!

We used other tour companies in the other ports of call we visited and none even came close to the level of service Rome In Limo provided. I would book as early as possible because I wouldn't want to chance them booking up. You won't be disappointed with them, their drivers, or their guides. All are fantastic! Jany, the lady who handles reservations, does a fantastic job of keeping every reservation in order and thoughtfully plans it out for you. Someone mentioned their driver used cell phones too much to be any help explaining the sites they were seeing. I would have to guess (and hope) maybe they got mixed up with the company name, because our drivers ONLY used their cell phones to check in and make sure there weren't any traffic problems they needed to be aware of.

If you can afford to add on a licensed guide for the Vatican, Coliseum, and Pompeii I would. You will actually grasp a full knowledge of the history of what you are spending your money to see instead of just seeing it the way it is now. Enjoy!

[Kirkey]

Just returned from the Carnival Dream and used Romeinlimo. We used them for transfers from Rome to the cruise port and back. There drivers were prompt, courteous and had a good sense of humour especially when they saw the amount of luggage our group of 8 had. We also used them for Florence and Tuscany. Laura was our driver and she was incredible. :cool:

[Sdd_mom]

Just wanted to add that we used Rome In Limo while in Rome this past week. (romeinlimo.com) and I have to agree they were the greatest. Our driver Duman was everything we could have dreamed of and more!! He took care of all our our needs. Was a great guy. I would use him again and recommend him highly.

[eandj]

Just wanted to add that we used Rome In Limo while in Rome this past week. (romeinlimo.com) and I have to agree they were the greatest. Our driver Duman was everything we could have dreamed of and more!! He took care of all our our needs. Was a great guy. I would use him again and recommend him highly.

 

Duman is the owner of RIL. You got the best. :)

[bionicman97]

. . .

 

Now onto the original posters questions:

1-They are suggesting an 8 hour tour with a driver, and a guide for the Vatican. Do we need a guide for other sites? Or is the driver usually knowledgeable enough to provide info? The guide will be with you the entire day not just at the Vatican. We did this and our guide, Julia, was worth every penny plus many more! She made not only the Vatican area, but the Colosseum, Pantheon, etc. come alive for us in a way a guide book never could have given! (She was tipped very well! 25%)

2-Have you ever just gotten a guide at the Vatican rather than scheduled one in advance? If so, how did that work out? Did you still have to stand in line for tickets? Can you just visit the "church" on your own without tickets? (I obviously have lots more research to do! I visited Rome years ago, but I was on a tour and they took care of everything.) We had Julia for the day so she was scheduled in advance, but she knew the people inside, so she was able to get us through the lines quickly avoiding the backup of people who didn't have tickets or guides with connections. (Did I mention "worth every penny"?) You can visit all of the Vatican without a guide, but the lines are longer and you won't understand most of what you are seeing in a way that will make a lasting impression.

. . .

 

We had Julia also. She is fantastic. The Vatican would not have been the same without her.

[fabnfortysomething]

we booked several private tours for our recent Mediterranean cruise.

What we did learn from all of them is that your driver will assume you want a "European"leisurely lunch with wine-[usually in a restaurant they have a "deal " with.]

We were more interested in seeing as much as possible and would have preferred a quick snack "on the go".In future I will make this clear from the outset so as to avoid disappointment when time runs out at the end of the day

[Bethany Beach]

We just returned from our first cruise in Europe. used RIL for three ports, and I will write another post later detailing our wonderful experiences. However, I just wanted to say regarding the lunch issue - I was also afraid that we would spend too much of our time eating lunch somewhere. This lunch/wine experience is an important part of the day for some people but not at all for us. So, I decided to take a small cooler, ziploc bags, and a few disposable plastic containers. In the morning for three of our tours, from the breakfast buffet, I packed a container of fruit, made two sandwiches, and from the night before packed a few cookies. That along with two bottles of water made a great lunch. I simply told the drivers at the beginning of our day that I had packed lunch so we wouldn't have to spend any or our siteseeing eating a long lunch. For our Tuscany tour, for example, when our driver dropped us off at the gates of one of the old towns, we simply took our food out of the cooler, left the cooler in his trunk, and sat down on a park bench and ate before going into the city - 15 pleasant minutes was all it took.

[soccerbobu9]

We just returned from our first cruise in Europe. used RIL for three ports, and I will write another post later detailing our wonderful experiences. However, I just wanted to say regarding the lunch issue - I was also afraid that we would spend too much of our time eating lunch somewhere. This lunch/wine experience is an important part of the day for some people but not at all for us. So, I decided to take a small cooler, ziploc bags, and a few disposable plastic containers. In the morning for three of our tours, from the breakfast buffet, I packed a container of fruit, made two sandwiches, and from the night before packed a few cookies. That along with two bottles of water made a great lunch. I simply told the drivers at the beginning of our day that I had packed lunch so we wouldn't have to spend any or our siteseeing eating a long lunch. For our Tuscany tour, for example, when our driver dropped us off at the gates of one of the old towns, we simply took our food out of the cooler, left the cooler in his trunk, and sat down on a park bench and ate before going into the city - 15 pleasant minutes was all it took.

 

What a great idea to pack a cooler! Can I ask what type of cooler you used and did you bring it with you on your flight or did you purchase one on the ship or at the port?

[dalgirl]

Just returned and used RIL in Rome - could not have been happier. We had invited a fellow passenger cruising on his own to share our excursion and Angelo had no problem including him in the trip - his only concern was that he had got us Vatican tickets and that our "guest" would have a problem with his ticket. No problem came up as it is October and most of the tourist were gone. Advice: listen to the time table that is suggeted by your driver - we were always on time and when lunch came we requested good gnocci so Angelo took us to a great place, we had an hour to enjoy lunch (priced very reasonable) and since we were on schedule we even saw an extra site on the way to the Vatican. We were delivered right back to the ship and given postcards to remember our day. Could not have been happier with the service. If you can only do one excursion with RIL, then do Rome - you will get more bang for your buck:)