Jump to content

Rome In Limo - Continuation of Previous Thread, Community Guidelines Apply


palermo22
 Share

Recommended Posts

No we didn't use them as we were free travellers. 9 hours is going to cut things pretty tight if a tour of the Coliseum is included to see what are the must sees on a Rome visit.

 

Here is what I would expect to be reasonable timings:

Travelling to and from ship: 3 hours

Vatican 3 hours

Coliseum 2 hours

Trevis Fountain/ Pantheon/ Spanish Steps: 2 hours

 

Allowing some flexibility this could all be done within the 9 hour time frame offered by your tour operator. Some time savings could be made on travel to and from the ship, time within the Coliseum and visiting the Trevis etc.

 

There would be no savings of time on the Vatican tour.

 

If entry only to the Coliseum is done instead of a tour and if possible I would recommend the underground tour then it would be possible to do all the above. One could put a time limit on the inside visit and still get an appreciation of this huge "traffic Island".

The tour operator would want to plan to have you back at the port a couple of hours before sailaway in case there are problems on the road.

If this is going to be a one off trip to Rome then I would try and get as much as possible into the day. I wouldn't stop for lunch but grab something whilst passing by a café and eat on the run or take a small amount of food with you from breakfast. Your time is too precious to waste sitting down eating lunch. Make sure you take water with you although there is a water fountain outside the Coliseum train station

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for your honest opinion. You really cleared things up for us. I just hope people that join the group can come to an agreement.

 

Are you arranging this trip through RIL and they find the other 4 or are you using the ships roll call where you find the other 4 to fill the RIL van. The latter puts you in control. If you leave it with RIL you may find yourself in a van not going where you want to go. If the guide at the Vatican is arranged by RIL they are probably clipping the ticket. One can do one's own booking of tours through the official Vatican website

 

 

 

https://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=26&step=2

 

Similarly the coliseum has an official website that one can prebook and purchase tickets without third parties clipping the ticket

 

http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

 

Safe travels

Edited by Beanb41
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are arranging everything except we have to purchase entrance into the Vatican. They are arranging the private guide for the Vatican and Pompeii. They are rated number one on Trip Advisor and I know a dozen people that used them. We are going on three tours with a total of six people and the cost is a little over $400 a person in total. If they weren't doing it I wouldn't go because I would be afraid of not getting back in time. Originally we were going to do tours from the ship but they are insane with the prices and the huge bus loads.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are arranging everything except we have to purchase entrance into the Vatican. They are arranging the private guide for the Vatican and Pompeii. They are rated number one on Trip Advisor and I know a dozen people that used them. We are going on three tours with a total of six people and the cost is a little over $400 a person in total. If they weren't doing it I wouldn't go because I would be afraid of not getting back in time. Originally we were going to do tours from the ship but they are insane with the prices and the huge bus loads.

 

 

Private tours in Europe are generally just that -- private tours. YOU can shape the tour however you want it if you are the arranger. You just have to make sure it is doable, and a reputable company like RIL will tell you if something you want to do is not possible given the time limits.

 

I think you need to figure out what is most important to you -- is it going inside the Colosseum and then perhaps skipping the Vatican museum and the Sistine chapel (although possibly still seeing St. Peter's basilica)? Or is the Vatican museum/Sistine chapel the most important thing?

 

You do not have to take a tour to go inside the Colosseum. You can obtain tickets in advance and if you do, you should be able to see the inside on your own in a reasonable amount of time.

 

ADDED AFTER RE-READING: I guess I understand now. You have started a group on RIL's website. If you have strong feelings about your tour, I encourage you to take the responsibility of deciding an itinerary with RIL and then recruiting four others from your roll call. That way you get the tour you want instead of being at the mercy of others....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cinban-

 

Here's a short entry for our tour of Rome in 2014 with RIL. I arranged the tour for 4 and got another 4 people from our roll call no problem. I added St John in Latern (been there before and wanted to see it again). The Trevi Fountain was closed for renovation or we would have gone there. Had time to stroll around the Four Seasons Fountain area and the area around The Spanish Steps. The "wedding cake" is the Victor Emmanuel Monument. Drove by others sites. And...we were back in plenty of time :D.

 

The ship docked in Civitavecchia and there was some confusion at the pier. We had to walk a ways to meet our Rome In Limo tour van. But the eight of us – the Wagners, the Woos and Robin and Tracy along with the driver/guide made it. Traffic driving into Rome was heavy and it was slow going. Our first stop was the Basilica of Saint John in Latern. This is the “mother church” for Rome and also the Pope’s church as Bishop of Rome. It is very old and ornate. We then drove by the “wedding cake” and stopped at the Spanish Steps. We then visited the Four Seasons Fountain and then the Pantheon. The driver took us to the Coliseum and gave us an hour to look around. We had tickets purchased on the Internet but there was still a line and lots of people. Our Rome In Limo driver dropped us off by a pizza restaurant to grab a bite for lunch. Another slice and water. Then it was time to visit the Vatican Museum. Our tour began at the far end of the museum and worked it's way towards the Sistine Chapel. It was very crowded and we were a moving mass of humanity. Along the hallways we saw statues, mosaics, paintings, and tapestry. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was beautiful with it's recently cleaned bright colors. Karen managed to sneak a couple of photos. We then exited the Chapel and were at the front of St. Peter’s Basilica. We entered this vast church and saw Michelangelo’s Pieta , the body of Pope John XXIII and the fabulous alter. We stopped for souvenirs and a toilet break, and then drove to the final stop on a high hill with a view over the City of Rome. Then back to the Regal Princess.

 

<<<Karen>>>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, soyou didn't have a problem with time going into the colesseiim with time too? RIL says the lines for security is crazy but if the people that join my group want to go in I will have to too.!did u all go inside of it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, we all went inside. Perhaps the lines are worse then when we went in September 2014. We pre-purchased tickets and did have wait in line a bit but not a really long time. We walked around and I think Robin and Tracy left sooner to look around outside. Some of us walked up the several flights of stairs to the upper level. We all met up again at the set meeting place at the meeting time.

 

<<<Karen>>>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, soyou didn't have a problem with time going into the colesseiim with time too? RIL says the lines for security is crazy but if the people that join my group want to go in I will have to too.!did u all go inside of it?

 

Security lines are tighter (and longer) than they used to be.

 

 

 

You seem very concerned. Can you clarify whether you DO or DO NOT want to go into the Colosseum? Why not take the suggestion I made above and set your own tour with RIL, then try to fill it on your roll call??? :confused:

Edited by cruisemom42
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We used Rome in Limo in 2013 and again in September 2016. On both vacations, we used them in multiple cities, and were very happy with all of our experiences.

 

In 2016, we had the pleasure of being met at Fiumicino by Enrico, who took us on a 4-hour tour of ancient Rome on the way to our hotel. He was polite, funny, friendly, and overall a great ambassador of Rome. He took us to some places that were off the beaten path, as well as some of the obvious "must see" places like the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Enrico was a consummate professional, a great driver, full of knowledge, and a true pleasure to hang out with. We were so happy when he was the one the company sent on our third day to take us to see the catacombs and ancient Roman roads on our way to the cruise port. On this outing, he again made sure to take us to see some sights we would not have otherwise seen, and he made sure to arrive at the catacombs at exactly the right time for the start of the English tour. He and my husband both love music, and they enjoyed "talking music" and Enrico played us some of his favorites on the car stereo. When we got to the port, Enrico parked the car, and when he realized he had parked right next to a large puddle, he moved to a different spot, so we didn't have to worry about getting wet. He was just very focused on facilitating every bit of our vacation for maximum convenience and enjoyment.

 

We also used Rome in Limo for a day trip from Rome to Florence. Our guide for this trip was Angelo, who was also excellent. He was also friendly and made sure we had all the tips and pointers we needed to avoid lines and see everything we wanted to see in the limited time of a one-day outing. With his help, we managed to see the Uffizi Gallery, the Academia, have a delicious lunch, and explore the city center of Florence. At the end of our tour, he took us to Piazzale Michaelangelo, where we got beautiful panoramic photos of the Florence skyline. The road trip between Rome and Florence provided a lot of opportunities to see the countryside, and Angelo was able to tell us a lot about all of the towns and sights we passed along the way. He also made a great dinner recommendation for our evening back in Rome. Angelo was a top-notch guide, and made our day in Florence great.

 

We used Rome in Limo for a shore excursion in Sicily (Messina) on this trip as well. Alessandro picked us up at the pier and we enjoyed a wonderful tour of Mt. Etna and Taormina. Alessandro brought extra jackets and umbrellas for the Mt. Etna portion of the trip, as it's quite cold, windy and misty at the stopping point about 7000 feet up the volcano. A tourist would have easily overlooked the need for those things, especially since it was 75 degrees at sea level. Alessandro was excellent about making sure to time our visits to the various sights at times when the tour buses were not there. That is a HUGE benefit. For example, as we were leaving the stop on Mt. Etna, a full tour bus showed up, and the restrooms that were easily accessible when we arrived were packed with people. I don't like to spend my limited port time in line for anything, much less the restroom! After leaving the volcano, Alessandro took us for a delightful lunch off the beaten path. We were the only Americans in the restaurant, and Alessandro translated for us. He recommended dishes for us to order based on the local specialties, and lunch was awesome! We then went to Taormina, where Alessandro again recommended the perfect bakery for cannoli that the locals like to order. It did not disappoint. In fact, we bought several of the mini cannoli to take back to the ship, and enjoyed them with fond memories of Sicily from the balcony of our stateroom. Alessandro was professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. He made our day in Sicily very special.

 

Our last Rome in Limo tour of 2016 was when we were in port in Naples. Our guide at this stop was also named Enrico. He was a funny, knowledgeable character. Enrico took us first to Positano via the Amalfi Coast Drive. The landscape was stunning, and Enrico made sure to stop at just the right places for us to take photos. He also stopped at designated pull-outs and took photos of us together so we could have some great keepsake photos. Enrico knew all about the local customs and history, and was very entertaining in his conversations with us. When we got to Positano, he left us with some free time to explore and shop, and when we returned, he took us to the winery where we had booked a tour. The winery was excellent, and they showed us around and fed us a wonderful lunch, where we ate on the patio, enjoying the view of the lush vineyards and the beautiful afternoon sunshine. After lunch, we moved on to Pompeii, and met our official Pompeii guide, Rosemary. Rome in Limo had made arrangements for us to have a guide accompany us in Pompeii, and that made all the difference. Rosemary has an educational background in archaeology, and her ability to tell us what we were seeing, and to describe the significance of each part of the ruins was a huge benefit. Without Rosemary's help, we would still have been able to walk through Pompeii, but we would not have understood it nearly as well, and our experience would have been much less memorable. Rosemary also helped us to skip the ticket line, and when there were loads of tourists in line to see certain areas of the ruins, she got us around those crowds and to the front of the line since there were just two of us. HUGE benefit. After leaving Pompeii, Enrico took us back to port, in plenty of time, through horrendous traffic. Both Enrico and Rosemary gave us a wonderful experience while at port in Naples.

 

I have used private tours in dozens of ports throughout Europe. Let's face it -- the biggest drawback to a cruise is the limited time in each port. I never use the ship excursions because: a.) Small groups are so much more navigable in crowds; b.) Private excursions are customizable based on time constraints and personal preferences; c.) The private excursion allows for insider benefits, such as skip the line, knowing when to go to avoid crowds and where to go for a local experience; d.) Private excursions provide a much more personal experience than you get in a big ship tour; e.) You have the chance to connect with a local guide, which, in my opinion, greatly enhances the value of the vacation; and f.) The cost of the private tour is almost always LESS than the ship tour, if you are able to share it with another couple or two. It just makes sense.

 

In every case where we toured with Rome in Limo, our guides were on time, professional in their appearance and behavior, knowledgeable, and friendly. We have never had even a close call at getting back to port on time. That's just not an issue to worry about. The cars are clean, safe and modern, and the bottom line is that Rome in Limo does everything in its power to deliver a great vacation. Jany in the office responds quickly to all emails, and in my case in particular, was very patient with my many questions. (Thanks, Jany!)

 

Book with Rome in Limo. You will be delighted with the difference it makes in your vacation!!

 

Thank you SO much, I really appreciate your review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our family recently came back from a Mediterranean cruise. On our day in Rome we went with RomeinLimo. I posted a long review (giving 5 stars) on TripAdvisor. Our day could not have gone any better. Because we were visiting in January there were hardly any lines anywhere. We started our day at the Coliseum and we walked right in. No one there. After 30 minutes there we went on the the Circus Maximus, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and other points of interest. Each stop we were able to get out and walk around and take pictures. All the while being being taken around in a Mercedes minivan. Truly the way to go.

 

After all our stops in the morning our driver, Piero, took us to a local restaurant for a relaxing lunch. The afternoon was spent at the Vatican Museum. We booked an English speaking guide and that helped. The museum tour concluded with St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's Square. Our family had a memorable day in Rome thanks to RomeinLimo.

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Evening! I am currently looking to book Romeinlimo for three of our ports. They are currently running a 10% off deal if you pre-pay. Our bank is very worried about this, because of it saying on the webpage that they only accept cash at the end of the tours, and now they say to pay upfront. They informed us that someone could have hacked the webpage and is posing as them. I am trying to figure out a way to prove that this is a legit deal and legit webpage and communication I have had with them. Has anyone pre-paid them with these promotions that they are running?:confused::confused::confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This may have been addressed in this thread, but I don't see it. We are a group of 6 adults who are spending 3 full days (and 2 half days) in Rome pre cruise in October. We arrive in Rome in the morning after an overnight flight and are interested in the Rome Orientation Tour offered by Rome in Limo that picks you up from the airport and gives you 4 hour tour before dropping you off at your hotel (or apartment in our case). Has anyone done this and how does it work? It lists a tour of the Coliseum as part of the tour but we are not really interested in that as we would prefer to do that on one of our other days when we are not so tired after a long flight. Has anyone customized this tour to do another option?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I prepaid for a tour last week. It was a bit of a hassle because there is no CitiBank near me and I had to mail a check to a bank in Miami. RIL got the money, though, so fingers crossed it works out well. I wanted to prepay so I wouldn't have to carry so much cash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Evening! I am currently looking to book Romeinlimo for three of our ports. They are currently running a 10% off deal if you pre-pay. Our bank is very worried about this, because of it saying on the webpage that they only accept cash at the end of the tours, and now they say to pay upfront. They informed us that someone could have hacked the webpage and is posing as them. I am trying to figure out a way to prove that this is a legit deal and legit webpage and communication I have had with them. Has anyone pre-paid them with these promotions that they are running?:confused::confused::confused:

 

Suggest you send the company and email or ring them to confirm the offer. This should alleviate whether the offer is genuine or not. If you are going to prepay you are going to have to pay by credit card. My suggestion is this: go through the process of making the online up the point where you have to put in your credit card details. Check at the top of the page or sometimes at the bottom for a locked padlock symbol. It maybe in the address URL window. The locked padlock is the accepted internet symbol for a secure internet payment site. If the padlock is not present you are not on a secure payment site. If after having confirmation that the offer is genuine and you are on a secure payment site I would then make the payment. I wouldn't make any payment internationally other than a credit card because if one uses a credit card and the product or service is not delivered then a claim can be made against the credit card company for a refund

Edited by Beanb41
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Evening! I am currently looking to book Romeinlimo for three of our ports. They are currently running a 10% off deal if you pre-pay. Our bank is very worried about this, because of it saying on the webpage that they only accept cash at the end of the tours, and now they say to pay upfront. They informed us that someone could have hacked the webpage and is posing as them. I am trying to figure out a way to prove that this is a legit deal and legit webpage and communication I have had with them. Has anyone pre-paid them with these promotions that they are running?:confused::confused::confused:

 

This is a deal they do commonly this time of year, to get the bookings filled up for the summer time. We pre-paid with them the last two times we used them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am arriving in Rome several days prior to our cruise and used Rome in Limo when we were in Rome in 2011. My sister and niece are joining us this time and I am using Rome in Limo for an airport pickup and 8 hour tour of Rome, the Assisi/Todi/Orvieto tour, and the Alternative Tuscany tour when in Rome, as well as using them for the Catania and Taormina tour when in Catania. I saw that there was a prepayment option to save more but I didn't want to do that just in case something changed. You do get a discount using then for multiple tours. I will take Euros with me and then use an ATM when necessary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...