Rome tours

[larry_s_taco]

Has anyone used, The Roman Guy tours in Rome? We are interested in the Coliseum, and the Vatican. There are so many tour companies it is over whelming to choose one. 

[euro cruiser]

I just took a quick look at their web site.  They spend a lot of time talking about their knowledgeable, passionate and friendly guides but nowhere do they identify them as licensed.  That is an important factor anywhere in Italy but particularly in Rome. 

 

I have to believe they are licensed, there's no way they'd get past security at the Vatican museums or the Colosseum if they were not, but it's worth asking the question since they don't specify it on the web site.

[larry_s_taco]

2 hours ago, euro cruiser said:

I just took a quick look at their web site.  They spend a lot of time talking about their knowledgeable, passionate and friendly guides but nowhere do they identify them as licensed.  That is an important factor anywhere in Italy but particularly in Rome. 

 

I have to believe they are licensed, there's no way they'd get past security at the Vatican museums or the Colosseum if they were not, but it's worth asking the question since they don't specify it on the web site.

Good info to know. Thanks.

 

[GarCat88]

On 3/22/2022 at 10:21 AM, larry_s_taco said:

Has anyone used, The Roman Guy tours in Rome? We are interested in the Coliseum, and the Vatican. There are so many tour companies it is over whelming to choose one. 

We are also looking at tours for our Rome trip in October. Take a look at what Viator has to offer. They have a lot of good tour options and the reviews are really good. Viator is a Trip Advisor company. 

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, GarCat88 said:

We are also looking at tours for our Rome trip in October. Take a look at what Viator has to offer. They have a lot of good tour options and the reviews are really good. Viator is a Trip Advisor company. 

 

Viator is a second-party agency; they do not actually run the tours, they just broker them. In most cases it's far better to find and deal with an actual local agency.

 

While in most cases Viator tours are fine, I have to say I have not had good experiences in Rome in particular. One tour was canceled on me with no warning until the morning I arrived at the location. Another one was given in three languages -- everything repeated three times and the other nationalities were not considerate about keeping quiet while the English spiel was given so it was hard to hear.

 

[frantic36]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Viator is a second-party agency; they do not actually run the tours, they just broker them. In most cases it's far better to find and deal with an actual local agency.

 

I agree with this. Mainly because if there is a problem or you need to check meeting location it is easier to do so with the tour operator.

 

For example one small group tour we did we booked direct and we got to the meeting point on time. We and the guide waited for 20 minutes for another 4 people. We were just about to leave and start the tour when the 4 arrived. They had booked through Viator and the meeting point they were given was incorrect and they took awhile to get the correct answer from Viator where to meet. If they had booked direct they would have less likely been given the wrong place and been able to call the tour guide to check where he was.

[GarCat88]

This is good info.  Thank you.

How do I find a local agency that is dependable? I have no idea where to start looking.  
Is it a good idea to book tours prior to getting to Rome, or do we find a tour when we get there?

[cruisemom42]

23 minutes ago, GarCat88 said:

This is good info.  Thank you.

How do I find a local agency that is dependable? I have no idea where to start looking.  
Is it a good idea to book tours prior to getting to Rome, or do we find a tour when we get there?

 

There are a number that are recommended here -- I assume you are looking for a day tour while you're in Rome, not an outfit to meet you at the ship and tour Rome for the day during a port call?  I'm sure there has been a recent discussion. I'll try to find it and update this post with the link.

 

Found it -- some good on-target recommendations here:

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2022 by cruisemom42

[klfhngr]

Suggestion: As soon as you know which tour you want to take, book it! I snoozed on a few thru Viator (and others), they've all gone up between 30-60 bucks, per person! You snooze, you lose! Many are selling out, btw, especially during late spring and summer!