Poll: Guides & Drivers in France & Italy

[szdiver]

We used Romeinlimo and had a fabulous time in both Rome and Florence....went up into the Tuscany Hills, stopped at a monestery, etc. etc.
Can't go wrong with Romeinlimo......

[bellagirl]

We used Duman from rome in limo and were extremely happy with the services he provided. Efficient, knowledgeable and funny-we will definitely use his services again. Shelly

[sandinmyshoes]

It's not mentioned in the poll, but we used [COLOR="DarkRed"]RomeinLimo.com[/COLOR] for our tours last Oct. in Rome (3days), Naples (Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Positano) and Livorno (Florence, Pisa, and Tuscany). The company and all drivers were beyond FANTASTIC. The drivers are very safe, speak fluent English, and express a love for their country that can't help but spill over onto you. They all drive new Mercedes Benz and have the best service I've ever experienced with a tour company. We used a different co. in Spain and were disappointed because they didn't spoil us like Rome in Limo did. Our driver for Rome was Francesco with Julia as our Vatican guide, Rosario in Naples, and Laura for Florence/Pisa.

Jany, the one who handles all reservations responds to emails within 24 hours even when I would ask her silly questions. The whole organization is top notch and I can't help but recommend them for their superior service! They are so much better than any of the other tour companies we have used in the past. We will never use anyone else when in their area.

Their prices are extrememly reasonable, and when you consider the VIP treatment they give, you are getting a great bargain and getting to see some of the most memorable places in the world! Good luck in choosing, I know it can be overwhelming with all the choices out there, but I'm sure glad [COLOR="darkred"]we chose[/COLOR] [COLOR="darkred"]Rome in Limo[/COLOR]!

[mandotsan]

If you want 5* treatment then Romeinlimo should be your choice...the best tours and guides in Italy and the price is great. Of all the tours we took while in Europe theirs was the best....only wish they could have tours in Spain and France. Best thing about the tour was they let you control the pace...and would stop for photo ops whenever anyone wanted them to.

[attagirl]

Hands down, I would pick Rome in Limo for our day in Rome over any other driver we had. Salvatore was such a gentleman. He showed us some of the most unique and amazing sites. He entertained us with his beautiful singing, satisfied us with a yummy place for lunch, and wow'ed us by buying us the most delicious cannoli's as a surprise while we were in the Sistine Chapel. I can't say enough good things about this company. There was a bit of traffic congestion early in our day...Duman phoned our driver so he was aware and could avoid it. We looked down on the traffic jam from a different road as we sped by :) Great customer service. We truly felt like Italian royalty.

[sandinmyshoes]

I forgot to make sure you know there is a difference between Rome in Limo and limo in rome. I can't speak for limo in rome, but I do however have the first hand experience with [url]www.romeinlimo.com[/url] that they were wonderful for us. They have only been around a couple of years, so you may not have heard as much about them, but they work exceptionally hard to make themselves the best available at an affordable price.

Our tours with them in Rome were just my husband and myself and were well worth the extra money to have it only on our schedule. It was our 10th anniversary and I'm an artist by profession so we had particular interests in Rome we wanted to see. Rome in Limo made this happen as well as taking us to wonderful places to eat that followed our appetites and budget.

I did go on my cruise's roll call to find others willing to share the tours for Naples and Livorno, so the prices were even cheaper then. I would highly recommend doing this over cruise sponsored tours. Rome in Limo will make sure you don't miss your ship, while still getting the most of your time in each location you wish to see. As I mentioned in my earlier post, they are wonderful!

For another thread telling the differences between [url]www.romeinlimo.com[/url] and limoinrome.com, go to:

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

[nash7300]

Rome - Hands down.... Duman, even better when teamed up with the absolute best Vatican guide Julia
Florence - Ricardo
Naples - Carlo for a wonderful drive down the Amalfi coast
Donato for the most knowledgeable Pompeii guide on earth.

All from Romeinlimo....


And if you're ever in Jamaica check out Phil Lafayette, ya mon!


My two cents :D

[gbayley]

Rome limo was great. I would never take another ship shore excursion again. Great access, superb driver and guide, first class all the way and compared to the cost for ship sponsored excursions, well worth the price.

[bob278]

[LEFT]It's really great to see information on several good tour companies. We have had two different trips to Rome where we used DriverinRome (Daniele and Remo). I am just as enthusiastic about this operation as anybody else is about the ones they used.

The help in deciding just what we wanted to do and the flexibility to change on the fly is outstanding. We stayed a couple of weeks ago in their B&B. Bill & Anne were in another of their apartments (Hi Bill & Anne) and I would echo their comments. In addition to some outstanding restaurants, we had dinner that Angela and Giovanna prepared that was amazing. We felt more like family than guests.

If (make that [B]when[/B]) we go back, I will use them again (I can't think of a better recommendation), but if they are too busy, it's nice to have some good backups. Thanks for sharing, everyone.
[/LEFT]

[Upgradefairy4u]

Don't look any farther, Rome in Limo will take you places that no other tour coumpany will take you. They are wonderful. Friendly, fun, and the best! Click now! It is well worth it! [url]http://www.romeinlimo.com/[/url]
We had Francesco, the best! Let him know we spotted him at the Roma game on TV! If he is good enough for Jada Pinkett Smith, he is good enough for us! We couldn't be happier.

[ParPar]

[COLOR=black]One more vote here for ROME IN LIMO!:) [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never had a better experience with a private guide anywhere -- and I have had my share -- including touring all over East and West Europe, Scandinavia, China, Middle East, Russia, etc. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Duman was our guide and all seven of us in our group thoroughly enjoyed him and our day in Rome because of how he planned our time and showed us his city. We learned a ton, but appreciated that he knew when to stop and not put us on overload (we had three young teens in our group). [/COLOR]
[COLOR=black]Based on how our day went and the camaraderie I witnessed between our guide and all the other guides from Rome In Limo, I would guess that no matter who you get as a guide from them, you will have a winner. My only regret is that we didn’t book with them for all the other ports we stopped at in Italy! Next time… ;) [/COLOR]

[vycital]

This was our second trip to Italy and we have used Driver in Rome both times. They are the BEST!! Daniele and Remo go out of their way to make sure you see everything on your tour and all the guides speak perfect English. We stayed at Remo's B&B this time and we had a GREAT time. They made us feel like part of the family!!

Mark Vycital

[tomkat50]

Other than Papillon Tours, what other tour companies has anyone used for Cinque Terre tours out or Livornio??

[nash7300]

This thread really needs to go! It was started over 4 years ago. Probably half of those drivers are retired by now. If I knew how to do it I would start a new poll. If you are planning a cruise, and looking for drivers/guides, please take this into account....

[marinerstu]

No reason to be overly repetitive, so I'll just second (or third or fifth...) the comments about Rome in Limo. We (two couples) engaged them last fall for transportation from the port to Rome at the end of our cruise, a day and a half of touring in the city and transportation from our hotel to the airport. Jany, and Duman took care of all the details, and our driver/guides were friendly, knowledgeable and punctual.

Since RIL was the only company we used, can't say they are THE best. But, it's hard to imagine anyone being able to make touring in Rome more enjoyable!

Rebecca and Stuart
Cleveland, OH

[falcon24]

My wife and I took our two sons (21 and 25) on a cruise last summer and used Rome In Limo for three different shore excursions.
This proved to be our favorite vacation of all time, and the Rome In Limo guides were a big part of that. We had Duman in Rome and he was great. We had John in Pisa/Florence, and he was very good as well. We had another really nice driver for Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, but his name escapes me.
As a point of reference, we took the bus tour offered by the cruise line in Sicily, and when we go back to Europe on any kind of cruise we will definately use a private tour company, and if we're in Italy it will be Rome In Limo.
The cost to drive four people is not much more than the side trips the cruise lines offer, but as many people have already pointed out, you tend to be herded about like cattle when you get on and off a bus. Rome In Limo took us directly to places like the Leaning Tower and the Vatican and dropped us off right there. They allow you to make your own schedule, or they will suggest things if you don't quite know what all you have time to see.
I recall being a little nervous about paying them, since they don't take credit cards, or at least they didn't last year. We ended up having to take quite a bit of loot in travelers checks to pay for all three excursions, but this turned out to be no big deal.
My wife and I are fairly impatient people....sorry....but the whole bus thing is a drag. You waste valuable time getting on and off, and the buses have a hard time negotating the crowded streets in most of these cities.
If you want some excitement in your life, let Damon drive you around Rome. We saw everything we had planned to see in one day, and Michael Shumacher has nothiing on Duman. I'm sure glad he was driving, because traffic in Italy is NUTS! He knows all the shortcuts and how to get tickets for the venues without having to stand in a lengthy line.
You're spending a lot of money on this vacation....I would spend a little more and save yourself a lot of frustration and make your trip really fun and efficent, and also pleasurable.

[bob278]

[quote name='nash7300']This thread really needs to go! It was started over 4 years ago. Probably half of those drivers are retired by now. If I knew how to do it I would start a new poll. If you are planning a cruise, and looking for drivers/guides, please take this into account....[/quote]
I don't think the thread needs to go, but the point about the poll having old data is valid. The posts that have happened in the last week or so are all clearly based on recent experience and provide good references for the companies mentioned. I would hope most people look at posts more than a simple bar chart.

[PatfromPa]

I highly recommend this wonderful company for your private tours.
I had such a wonderful tour of Rome ( with Rudy) in 2006, that I have booked them again in June, this time I will have my other daughter and son in law with us and I knew that this company would not disappoint in a great tour of Rome. They respond very quickly when you e mail them and Jany gives great recommendations. Rome In Limo is the best!!

[New2cz]

Just returned from a Med cruise on Voyager of the Seas. We used Rome In Limo for tours of Florence, Rome and Pompeii/Amalfi Coast. With only one day in each port, we really wanted to hit as much as possible. In Florence our guide was Laura who was terrific. She was very knowledgeable, a great communicator, considerate, prompt and a wonderful driver. The van was roomy and spotless, even equipped with a microphone so those in the rear seat could hear well. She brought along water and had a stool out quickly to make sure no one had problems getting in and out of the van. She checked on traffic as we headed toward Florence and discovered that a major traffic jam would have cost us a two hour delay. Instead she detoured through the country and we got to see vineyards, orchards of olive trees, fields of "hard/red" wheat specially grown for producing high quality pasta, etc. We even had time to stop at a local olive oil press. We heard others on the cruise complaining about sitting on buses in totally stopped traffic, which cut deeply into their time for sight seeing. In Rome and Pompeii we were just as pleased and felt that we got a terrific value for our money. We hired a guide for the Vatican and Sarah presented a great deal of information in a clear way that kept us from being overwhelmed. Our time in the Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's was worth so much more with her help than if we had tried to use a guidebook, or wander through on our own. When you compare the cost of Rome In Limo with a tour for 6 or so and the price of the ship tour where you are crammed in big buses with herds of others, it is a simple choice to make. In Rome alone, being able to walk through the Colosseum instead of "stopping for a photo" as the ship tour did, made the tour well worth the money. Thank you Laura, Sarah and everyone at Rome in Limo!!

[bellagirl]

I,too,felt the same way about our tour with Duman and Sarah. It was worth every penny we spent simply because of the efficiency of the excursion. Duman was able to get us into sights up close,so we wasted no time standing in line or buying tickets.
Would highly recommend! Shelly

[kit9172]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]What I don't understand is that I started a thread on March 19, 2008 asking about rome in lime or limo in rome and it was closed on April 29, 2008. Why would they close mine but let a thread started 4 years ago be active?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]I came back from our cruise on May 5th and was going to post my review on rome in limo on the thread I started but it was closed so I had to post it seperately. The board told me I could not review a company but if someone asks I could reply.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]Did anyone ask the board how to edit the poll and add rome in limo? Do you think that should be done or should we start all over again.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[COLOR=blue][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4]How did[/SIZE] [SIZE=5]bunky3131[/SIZE] [SIZE=4]find this thread?[/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR]
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[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue][/COLOR][/FONT]

[FIRSTLAKE]

Just back from the Med --In Naples we used Giovanni from [B][COLOR=#0000ff]tourofitaly [/COLOR][/B] He is quite a character and kept us amused all day --he had a large comfortable van, took us to Pompeii (we were the first ones at the site--awesome) and then on to Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello.
Lunch was at his friend's restaurant--it was excellent.
We had a great day.
Price was 400 Euro.

[Susan-M]

[QUOTE]Did anyone ask the board how to edit the poll and add rome in limo? Do you think that should be done or should we start all over again.[/QUOTE]

I don't think that they will amend the poll, and even if they did, adding companies to the existing poll wouldn't give accurate results as the original companies listed have several years worth of votes, whereas the new companies would have votes starting now. I think it's a good idea to start a new poll.

[kit9172]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]How do you start a poll?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[bob278]

[quote name='kit9172'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]How do you start a poll?[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

Go to the forum where you want the poll and click on Start a New thread. Scroll down below the reply text box and you will see some options. One of them is a poll (it lets you pick up to 14 items to track).

I find this thread pretty interesting as to some of the people who are mentioned here (and in other threads). We spent 4 days at Remo & Daniele's B&B the first of this month and had some time to talk to them. The subject of how much interaction there is between the different tour operators came up since I knew of a couple of instances where one company "subbed out" some work when they were overbooked. Evidently, there are 4 or 5 outfits that do that routinely. I was a bit surprised to find out that three of the people I hear a lot about started out with DriverInRome.

Claudio and Fabrizio both get a lot of good press (and Daniele says they deserve it) and they still do cooperative work with Daniele and Remo.

Aldo of allarounditaly (I think) is another of their proteges.

I would say that the fact that several of the more popular guides around started with DriverInRome indicates they do a great job and train their people well.

I repeat what I said before, I have found an operator I am very comfortable with, but am happy to see that there are alternatives should my first choice not be available.