RomeInLimo questions

[Podie]

I am not by any means out to bad mouth RIL, but after several tours in Italy, and the Amalfi Coast with RIL earlier this month, I urge everyone to comparison shop unless you have money to spare.

 

Our four person Amalfi Coast tour with RIL cost over 100 euro more than with the other company I'd considered, and several people on the Equinox were happier with their less-expensive tours. Certainly the communication with Jany is great, but our driver did not speak great English and we had trouble hearing him even though we sat directly behind him. The couple right behind us could not hear a word and were very unhappy with that aspect.

 

Our friends took the same tour with another driver, and although they also had trouble hearing and understanding some of what the driver said, they were also pleased with the tour but not the price. Our trip was nice and lunch was wonderful, but again, we could have done it for at least 100 euro less.

 

During the trip I ran into Francesco Marrapese, who I had used for a previous tour, and the people with him had spent 120 euro less for their tour.

 

Again, RIL is fine but if money is an issue I simply urge you to comparison shop. Don't think they're necessarily the best because they're the most expensive. They are surely one of the top five companies, but even their drivers admit they're the most expensive.

[chipmaster]

25 bucks/person .. not that much is it? In many ways I agree they are only a driver, but will they be on time at the dock, will they get lost, well they get you back to ship on time, etc. etc. Is that worth 25 dollars/person in port after spending thousands on the plane similar amount on the cruise. I agonized over this during my research. Out of the 6 drivers we got I would give 5 A and 1 a B-, but no question they were there and couldn't complain about the experience. Could I have gotten it for less, like many things in life, yes, but didn't want to take any chance here.

 

I actually have not heard yet of anyone complain about any of the major tours, but how many of us get to go back again and again and sample them all?

 

Duman if you are reading I want more then a 3 port discount the next time I come ;)

 

I am not by any means out to bad mouth RIL, but after several tours in Italy, and the Amalfi Coast with RIL earlier this month, I urge everyone to comparison shop unless you have money to spare.

 

Our four person Amalfi Coast tour with RIL cost over 100 euro more than with the other company I'd considered, and several people on the Equinox were happier with their less-expensive tours. Certainly the communication with Jany is great, but our driver did not speak great English and we had trouble hearing him even though we sat directly behind him. The couple right behind us could not hear a word and were very unhappy with that aspect.

 

Our friends took the same tour with another driver, and although they also had trouble hearing and understanding some of what the driver said, they were also pleased with the tour but not the price. Our trip was nice and lunch was wonderful, but again, we could have done it for at least 100 euro less.

 

During the trip I ran into Francesco Marrapese, who I had used for a previous tour, and the people with him had spent 120 euro less for their tour.

 

Again, RIL is fine but if money is an issue I simply urge you to comparison shop. Don't think they're necessarily the best because they're the most expensive. They are surely one of the top five companies, but even their drivers admit they're the most expensive.

Edited August 22, 2010 by chipmaster

[Lindypc]

Sorry you had bad luck with your RIL tour. We've used them 3 years in a row for multiple ports and have nothing but good things to say about this company. Jon, in Florence used a microphone and Vincenzo, in Rome had lived in Canada for 13 years so his English was also flawless as was his ability to show us like 20 things in Rome--unbelievable tours. I can't remember our other guide's names but we were extremely lucky (we try to use the same people).

[travelite]

I am not by any means out to bad mouth RIL, but after several tours in Italy, and the Amalfi Coast with RIL earlier this month, I urge everyone to comparison shop unless you have money to spare.

 

Our four person Amalfi Coast tour with RIL cost over 100 euro more than with the other company I'd considered, and several people on the Equinox were happier with their less-expensive tours. Certainly the communication with Jany is great, but our driver did not speak great English and we had trouble hearing him even though we sat directly behind him. The couple right behind us could not hear a word and were very unhappy with that aspect.

 

Our friends took the same tour with another driver, and although they also had trouble hearing and understanding some of what the driver said, they were also pleased with the tour but not the price. Our trip was nice and lunch was wonderful, but again, we could have done it for at least 100 euro less.

 

During the trip I ran into Francesco Marrapese, who I had used for a previous tour, and the people with him had spent 120 euro less for their tour.

 

Again, RIL is fine but if money is an issue I simply urge you to comparison shop. Don't think they're necessarily the best because they're the most expensive. They are surely one of the top five companies, but even their drivers admit they're the most expensive.

 

I totally agree with you. I used RIL for Rome. I used another company for Naples and also the Amalfi Coast because they were less expensive than RIL. Sorrento Silver Star was excellent, reliable service, beautiful car....perfect emailing booking experience.

[hylasgirl]

We have used RIL many years in a row and on multiple ports and have nothing but great things to say. Although this is the case with many people on this site. There will always be the odd review or something that didn't quite go as expected. I am a big supporter in comparison shopping, but there are a few things where I go with the majority of the reviews... and like the one person said above "25 bucks/person... not that much is it"

 

I'm sorry you didn't have the most ideal day with RIL... we have had experiences that we'll always remember with this company. They were worth every penny and I wouldn't think of hiring anyone else for 100e less. For 4 people or more the price difference doesn't even factor in.

[bobalink]

We just returned from a Western Mediterranean cruise on the Noordam. We spent 4 days in Rome pre-cruise, and booked 4 tours with Romeinlimo.

One of our ports was Trapani, Sicily, and we used RIL there, too.

I give them my highest recommendation.

 

Rome Day 1 - On arrival at FCO, a driver was waiting for us in a beautiful, air-conditioned Mercedes, and took us to our hotel. We checked in to our hotel, freshened up and were waiting in the hotel lobby for our next driver to pick us up for our Vatican tour. We were surprised when the owner of RIL, Duman, came to our hotel along with Sarah, our guide for the Vatican, to drive us to the Vatican.

Rome Day 2 – Full day tour of all the Rome highlights. Our driver, Angelo, was punctual, professional and very accommodating. He maneuvered the car around all the little streets that a big tour bus could not possibly manage. We saw so much in one day, and never felt rushed. Angelo always had cold water for us, and took us to a great place for lunch. He took us to the secret door with the keyhole view, too. At the end of our long day, Angelo gave us a nice bottle of Chianti to enjoy.

Rome Day 3 – Tivoli and Villa d’ Este tour and Borghese Gallery. Angelo was our driver again for this. I told him in the morning that I would like to see Borghese (not realizing I needed advanced reservations) and he made all of the arrangements for us to have the last tour of the day. We also went to the Catacombs. Again, his knowledge and communication skills were excellent. He truly knows his way around Rome, and the backstreets and shortcuts of getting to the best sites.

Rome Day 4 – Etruscan tour and transfer to port. We shared this tour with some great people I met on our Roll Call. Salvatore was our driver, and he was great. After visiting the Etruscan tombs, he took us to a local wine and olive oil tasting, and then to a restaurant. The restaurant had a beautiful view, and the BEST food I ate in Italy. After a wonderful day, Salvatore dropped us off at the port in Civitavecchia.

 

While in Trapani, Sicily, we used Romeinlimo for our tour. There were 7 of us from our Cruise Critic Roll Call. Our driver was right at the port waiting for us in a new minibus. We visited the salt mines and Marsala. We went for a wine tasting at the Pelligrino winery. It was a wonderful day.

 

In planning for our trip, I communicated regularly with Jany at RIL. She always replied to my questions and offered suggestions so we could make the best use of our time.

 

We will definitely use Romeinlimo in the future.

[PCWalton1]

We just returned from a Western Mediterranean cruise on the Noordam. We spent 4 days in Rome pre-cruise, and booked 4 tours with Romeinlimo.

One of our ports was Trapani, Sicily, and we used RIL there, too.

I give them my highest recommendation.

 

Rome Day 1 - On arrival at FCO, a driver was waiting for us in a beautiful, air-conditioned Mercedes, and took us to our hotel. We checked in to our hotel, freshened up and were waiting in the hotel lobby for our next driver to pick us up for our Vatican tour. We were surprised when the owner of RIL, Duman, came to our hotel along with Sarah, our guide for the Vatican, to drive us to the Vatican.

Rome Day 2 – Full day tour of all the Rome highlights. Our driver, Angelo, was punctual, professional and very accommodating. He maneuvered the car around all the little streets that a big tour bus could not possibly manage. We saw so much in one day, and never felt rushed. Angelo always had cold water for us, and took us to a great place for lunch. He took us to the secret door with the keyhole view, too. At the end of our long day, Angelo gave us a nice bottle of Chianti to enjoy.

Rome Day 3 – Tivoli and Villa d’ Este tour and Borghese Gallery. Angelo was our driver again for this. I told him in the morning that I would like to see Borghese (not realizing I needed advanced reservations) and he made all of the arrangements for us to have the last tour of the day. We also went to the Catacombs. Again, his knowledge and communication skills were excellent. He truly knows his way around Rome, and the backstreets and shortcuts of getting to the best sites.

Rome Day 4 – Etruscan tour and transfer to port. We shared this tour with some great people I met on our Roll Call. Salvatore was our driver, and he was great. After visiting the Etruscan tombs, he took us to a local wine and olive oil tasting, and then to a restaurant. The restaurant had a beautiful view, and the BEST food I ate in Italy. After a wonderful day, Salvatore dropped us off at the port in Civitavecchia.

 

While in Trapani, Sicily, we used Romeinlimo for our tour. There were 7 of us from our Cruise Critic Roll Call. Our driver was right at the port waiting for us in a new minibus. We visited the salt mines and Marsala. We went for a wine tasting at the Pelligrino winery. It was a wonderful day.

 

In planning for our trip, I communicated regularly with Jany at RIL. She always replied to my questions and offered suggestions so we could make the best use of our time.

 

We will definitely use Romeinlimo in the future.

 

So what did you think of Sarah for a guide? She took us on a tour of the Vatican back in May and that is something my wife still talks about. For us, she was amazing, so knowledgable and she was able to keep our group of eight moving so we could see so much in the limited time we had.

[Litehouse9]

We used Rome in Limo for tours of both Rome and Florence. EXCELLENT both times! The price was NOT more than the competition. Even if it was-- they are WORTH IT. THEY ARE EXCELLENT. Great people, great service, they really cater to you and they made our trip the fabulous memory and experience that it was.

 

I highly recommend them for any tours.... they were just the best and wonderful to us. ;)

[fllchick]

So what did you think of Sarah for a guide? She took us on a tour of the Vatican back in May and that is something my wife still talks about. For us, she was amazing, so knowledgable and she was able to keep our group of eight moving so we could see so much in the limited time we had.

 

 

We also had Sarah as our Vatican guide just about a year ago, and she was amazing. I tend to get bored very easily, and she really kept me interested!

 

Same for our guide that RIL arranged for us in Pompeii......Antonella.....just awesome!

[bobalink]

So what did you think of Sarah for a guide? She took us on a tour of the Vatican back in May and that is something my wife still talks about. For us, she was amazing, so knowledgable and she was able to keep our group of eight moving so we could see so much in the limited time we had.

 

Sarah was excellent. Very well informed, and articulate.

Our experience with Sarah and all of the people at RIL was great.

[tdtanc]

bobalink.....just curious wat the price tag on all of that was. Do you recall wat the transfer to the port from rome was as well? Thanks.

 

Duman was excellent. Used them last year as well and will next year for return trip and greek isles.

 

TD

[bobalink]

bobalink.....just curious wat the price tag on all of that was. Do you recall wat the transfer to the port from rome was as well? Thanks.

 

Duman was excellent. Used them last year as well and will next year for return trip and greek isles.

 

TD

 

Hi tdtanc -

Duman is great, very professional and gracious. All of the people we met through RIL were excellent. All the prices for the tours we took are listed on their website.

 

In my previous post I forgot to list the transfer from Civitavecchia to FCO on the day of disembarkation. We opted to take our own luggage off, and we were off the ship by 7:30am. Our driver was there waiting for us, and we were at FCO in less than hour. Smooth! We had an early flight and we had plenty of time.

 

Private tours are expensive, no doubt. But we are not "do it on your own" travelers. With the limited amount of time we have for vacation, especially the few hours in each port, we want to make the best use of our time and see as much as possible.

 

Of course when you can share the cost of an excursion with CC folks from your Roll Call, it is all the better! We had really good experiences with our shared excursions, and made new friends!

 

We prefer private tours over the cruise line tours, although we did take HAL excursions in Palma de Mallorca and Tunisia. The tours were good, the guides were nice and well informed, typical huge bus, and as always, a stop at one of the cruise line affiliated stores.

 

We used independent tour companies in Barcelona and Cannes. They were very good, too. Not of the caliber as RIL, but good.

 

Happy sailing!

[yh62]

:)

We have just returned from the Mediterranean Cruise on RCL’s Brilliance of the Seas that sailed from Barcelona on August 19th. I have submitted a full cruise critic review that should be posted soon, but below are my specific comments for the tours we did with RIL:

 

We used Rome in Limo (RIL) for our private tours in the next 3 ports. I would absolutely recommend them as they were truly professional from the first time I contacted them, to answering all my questions, to providing us with exactly what we asked for. Thank you, Jany and Duman! The RIL contact info is

Rome in Limo Company

Mr.Kafelebasi Duman

Via C.T Masala 42 Ed.9

00148 Rome, Italy

http://www.romeinlimo.com/

info@romeinlimo.com

 

From USA & Canada;

Phone 011 (39) 328 652 6705

Fax 011 (39) 066 020 0736

 

From other Countries;

Phone +39 328 652 6705

Fax +39 066 020 0736

 

Livorno, Italy.

 

Pisa and Florence was the first of the 3 tours we booked with RIL. Our driver Clara (or actually Maria Clara) met us on the pier at 8:00 am and whisked us away in the mini-van that would seat 7 people. We were in Pisa at 8:35, but the access to the tower allows only 45 people every 30 minutes. Clara quickly negotiated for us to be allowed in so that we can spend 25 minutes climbing the tower instead if waiting for the next group. I stayed back with Clara (I was in the tower in the past) and we spent time just chatting while the rest of my family climbed the tower and enjoyed the view. After a short walk around and mandatory “hold the tower” pictures we were off first to drive around Pisa (did you know there is a SECOND Leaning Tower in Pisa?) and then to Florence. I do not want to go into all the details of our Florence tour, but I do want to mention that everything was fantastic and we did exactly what we wanted to do and saw everything we asked RIL to see. The only place we were not able to visit was the Great synagogue as it is closed on Saturdays. Clara was talking to us all the time and even thought she is technically a driver and not a tour guide, she provided us with so much detailed information that we probably will not be able to retain. She knew every corner of the city, the best place to have lunch (fresh paninni sandwich and a glass of wine from a place that looks like a hole in the wall, but fabulous food!), the BEST place to have gelatto and everything else. Clara really knows the area well, she truly loves it and she made our day very informative, enjoyable and fun! After a busy day we were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pisa tower access: 15 euro/person. CC accepted.

Ufizzi Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Academia Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Lunch at a “hole in the wall” plus gelatto”: about 7 euro/person.

 

Civitavecchia, Italy.

 

Rome was our second tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Nicola met us on the pier at 8:00 am and showed us to a spotless beautiful Mercedes Benz. The car was top of the line, but it may not be comfy for 3 “above average” people in the back seat. Nicola also has a pilot’s license and he expertly “flew” our car to Rome. We had a nice chat in the car and, as we approached Rome, Nicola began the information portion of the tour. Again, he is a driver and not an official guide, but I am not sure how much more info a tour guide would be able to provide. Throughout the day Nicola provided us with a lot of info, so we really did not need any guides in any of the places we visited. In Rome tourist buses are only allowed to stop/park in certain places, but because we were not with the bus, we were able to squeeze through the narrow streets and get really close to the places we wanted to see. Nicola recommended a nice place for lunch which was very good indeed. We had a great day with Nicola and we saw so much in less than 8 hours in Rome! We were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Colloseum (includes entrance to the Emperor’s palace): 12 euro/person. CC accepted.

St. Peter’s basilica: free

Pantheon: free (we could not go inside as there was a Sunday mass, but could see the church through the open doors)

Jewish Museum/Synagogue: 23 Euro for 4 of us. CC accepted.

A couple of churches where they have interesting artwork: free, but we gave some donations.

Lunch: 40 euro for 4 people, including wine and tip. CC accepted.

 

 

Naples, Italy.

 

Amalfi Coast/Positano/Sorrento/Pompei was the third tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Rafaele met us at 8:00 am and after a short walk we were shown to our van that would normally seat 8 people. He gave us a brief overview of the area and its history and we headed off to Positano and then to Sorrento. The drive along the Amalfi coast offers the most beautiful views, but beware if you have vertigo/issues with the heights. Rafaele made the drive look effortless, expertly navigating forever winding road. On our way to Positano we stopped at a roadside fruit stand where Rafaele got us some local grapes to taste – yum! Positano is a very picturesque village that was used for several movie sets, but it very touristy. Sorrento is beautiful with a lot of nice shops and many, many tourists. After a nice lunch in Sorrento, we started off to Pompeii. This place is a “must” to see! We met our private tour guide Gino and we spent 2 hours with him walking through the ancient city and learning about its history. In 2 hours we were able to see about 5% of Pompeii! After Pompeii we were on our way to the ship with Rafaele singing “O Sole Mio”. We arrived to port at about 5:00 pm and Rafaele presented us with a bottle of limoncello compliments of RIL. Very nice touch!

NOTE: This is a good tour to share with others as there is little chance that there will be issues as to the itinerary. The Positano stop was about 30 minutes, and a couple of hours in Sorrento is plenty for every one in the group to do what they prefer.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pompeii: 11 euro/person. Cash Only.

Pompeii tour guide (pre-booked by RIL on our request): 100 euro for 2 hour tour (absolutely worth it). Cash only.

Lunch in Sorrento: 50 euro for 4 people (with tip and free limoncello shots provided by the restaurant). CC accepted.

[merprincess]

:)

We have just returned from the Mediterranean Cruise on RCL’s Brilliance of the Seas that sailed from Barcelona on August 19th. I have submitted a full cruise critic review that should be posted soon, but below are my specific comments for the tours we did with RIL:

 

We used Rome in Limo (RIL) for our private tours in the next 3 ports. I would absolutely recommend them as they were truly professional from the first time I contacted them, to answering all my questions, to providing us with exactly what we asked for. Thank you, Jany and Duman! The RIL contact info is

Rome in Limo Company

Mr.Kafelebasi Duman

Via C.T Masala 42 Ed.9

00148 Rome, Italy

http://www.romeinlimo.com/

info@romeinlimo.com

 

From USA & Canada;

Phone 011 (39) 328 652 6705

Fax 011 (39) 066 020 0736

 

From other Countries;

Phone +39 328 652 6705

Fax +39 066 020 0736

 

Livorno, Italy.

 

Pisa and Florence was the first of the 3 tours we booked with RIL. Our driver Clara (or actually Maria Clara) met us on the pier at 8:00 am and whisked us away in the mini-van that would seat 7 people. We were in Pisa at 8:35, but the access to the tower allows only 45 people every 30 minutes. Clara quickly negotiated for us to be allowed in so that we can spend 25 minutes climbing the tower instead if waiting for the next group. I stayed back with Clara (I was in the tower in the past) and we spent time just chatting while the rest of my family climbed the tower and enjoyed the view. After a short walk around and mandatory “hold the tower” pictures we were off first to drive around Pisa (did you know there is a SECOND Leaning Tower in Pisa?) and then to Florence. I do not want to go into all the details of our Florence tour, but I do want to mention that everything was fantastic and we did exactly what we wanted to do and saw everything we asked RIL to see. The only place we were not able to visit was the Great synagogue as it is closed on Saturdays. Clara was talking to us all the time and even thought she is technically a driver and not a tour guide, she provided us with so much detailed information that we probably will not be able to retain. She knew every corner of the city, the best place to have lunch (fresh paninni sandwich and a glass of wine from a place that looks like a hole in the wall, but fabulous food!), the BEST place to have gelatto and everything else. Clara really knows the area well, she truly loves it and she made our day very informative, enjoyable and fun! After a busy day we were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pisa tower access: 15 euro/person. CC accepted.

Ufizzi Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Academia Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Lunch at a “hole in the wall” plus gelatto”: about 7 euro/person.

 

Civitavecchia, Italy.

 

Rome was our second tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Nicola met us on the pier at 8:00 am and showed us to a spotless beautiful Mercedes Benz. The car was top of the line, but it may not be comfy for 3 “above average” people in the back seat. Nicola also has a pilot’s license and he expertly “flew” our car to Rome. We had a nice chat in the car and, as we approached Rome, Nicola began the information portion of the tour. Again, he is a driver and not an official guide, but I am not sure how much more info a tour guide would be able to provide. Throughout the day Nicola provided us with a lot of info, so we really did not need any guides in any of the places we visited. In Rome tourist buses are only allowed to stop/park in certain places, but because we were not with the bus, we were able to squeeze through the narrow streets and get really close to the places we wanted to see. Nicola recommended a nice place for lunch which was very good indeed. We had a great day with Nicola and we saw so much in less than 8 hours in Rome! We were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Colloseum (includes entrance to the Emperor’s palace): 12 euro/person. CC accepted.

St. Peter’s basilica: free

Pantheon: free (we could not go inside as there was a Sunday mass, but could see the church through the open doors)

Jewish Museum/Synagogue: 23 Euro for 4 of us. CC accepted.

A couple of churches where they have interesting artwork: free, but we gave some donations.

Lunch: 40 euro for 4 people, including wine and tip. CC accepted.

 

 

Naples, Italy.

 

Amalfi Coast/Positano/Sorrento/Pompei was the third tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Rafaele met us at 8:00 am and after a short walk we were shown to our van that would normally seat 8 people. He gave us a brief overview of the area and its history and we headed off to Positano and then to Sorrento. The drive along the Amalfi coast offers the most beautiful views, but beware if you have vertigo/issues with the heights. Rafaele made the drive look effortless, expertly navigating forever winding road. On our way to Positano we stopped at a roadside fruit stand where Rafaele got us some local grapes to taste – yum! Positano is a very picturesque village that was used for several movie sets, but it very touristy. Sorrento is beautiful with a lot of nice shops and many, many tourists. After a nice lunch in Sorrento, we started off to Pompeii. This place is a “must” to see! We met our private tour guide Gino and we spent 2 hours with him walking through the ancient city and learning about its history. In 2 hours we were able to see about 5% of Pompeii! After Pompeii we were on our way to the ship with Rafaele singing “O Sole Mio”. We arrived to port at about 5:00 pm and Rafaele presented us with a bottle of limoncello compliments of RIL. Very nice touch!

NOTE: This is a good tour to share with others as there is little chance that there will be issues as to the itinerary. The Positano stop was about 30 minutes, and a couple of hours in Sorrento is plenty for every one in the group to do what they prefer.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pompeii: 11 euro/person. Cash Only.

Pompeii tour guide (pre-booked by RIL on our request): 100 euro for 2 hour tour (absolutely worth it). Cash only.

Lunch in Sorrento: 50 euro for 4 people (with tip and free limoncello shots provided by the restaurant). CC accepted.

 

Thanks for the detailed description of your tours with RIL. We are scheduled for Florence and Rome with them in May 2011. I have a few questions if you would be so kind to answer:

 

For your Rome tour did you buy the tickets ahead of time in order to avoid lines? RIL is recommending we do so for the 2PM time slot at the Vatican. Also did you purchase tickets ahead for any other sites? Did you get the guide for the Vatican that RIL provides at an extra cost?

Also did you do the "highlights of Rome" such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Forum, etc. Did you feel very rushed as though you were just trying to pack everything in? I anticipate that the day in Rome will be pretty exhausting, so any insight from your personal experience would be appreciated.

 

We are not too worried about Florence (we are skipping Pisa) because we are there on Monday and 2 of the major museums are closed. So that tour will probably not be as complicated.

 

Thanks - Mary

[cookie115]

I also would like to thank you for your very informative note. We are leaving this week and also have all of the tours listed above scheduled and now feel I know what to expect...and it sounds wonderful!

 

Excuse me if this has ben asked and answered before but, what is considered a good tip for the tours for great service? I know tipping is not the same as here and it is a personal choice, but certainly do not want to 'under tip!' We we are going with a group met here at CC, there will be 8 of us total.

 

Thanks.

[PCWalton1]

Thanks for the detailed description of your tours with RIL. We are scheduled for Florence and Rome with them in May 2011. I have a few questions if you would be so kind to answer:

 

For your Rome tour did you buy the tickets ahead of time in order to avoid lines? RIL is recommending we do so for the 2PM time slot at the Vatican. Also did you purchase tickets ahead for any other sites? Did you get the guide for the Vatican that RIL provides at an extra cost?

Also did you do the "highlights of Rome" such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Forum, etc. Did you feel very rushed as though you were just trying to pack everything in? I anticipate that the day in Rome will be pretty exhausting, so any insight from your personal experience would be appreciated.

 

We are not too worried about Florence (we are skipping Pisa) because we are there on Monday and 2 of the major museums are closed. So that tour will probably not be as complicated.

 

Thanks - Mary

 

Hi,

We used RIL for our day in Rome on our cruise back in May. We did purchase our Vatican tickets online as RIL recommended, so we were able to walk right in with our RIL guide. We used their guide in the Vatican, well worth the money considering it was split between four couples. If you do use their guide ask for Sarah, she is great. We did not purchase any other tickets online but we did ask them to get us vouchers at Accademia in Florence to avoid the line there (we were there on a Wednesday).

In Rome we did all the highlights you mentioned above and in some cases it really was just a drive by (Spanish Steps, Wedding Cake), but that was our choice as we spent more time in other places such as the Pantheon and the Forum. Exhausting? Yes. Satisfiying? Definately.

[katmich12]

Thank you so much for taking the time to make such a detailed report. We will be using this company for the 3 ports next September. Do you know how I can print just your message? If that is not possible, could you email it to me at Buffs212aol.com? Thanks, Lindy

[katmich12]

:)

We have just returned from the Mediterranean Cruise on RCL’s Brilliance of the Seas that sailed from Barcelona on August 19th. I have submitted a full cruise critic review that should be posted soon, but below are my specific comments for the tours we did with RIL:

 

We used Rome in Limo (RIL) for our private tours in the next 3 ports. I would absolutely recommend them as they were truly professional from the first time I contacted them, to answering all my questions, to providing us with exactly what we asked for. Thank you, Jany and Duman! The RIL contact info is

Rome in Limo Company

Mr.Kafelebasi Duman

Via C.T Masala 42 Ed.9

00148 Rome, Italy

http://www.romeinlimo.com/

info@romeinlimo.com

 

From USA & Canada;

Phone 011 (39) 328 652 6705

Fax 011 (39) 066 020 0736

 

From other Countries;

Phone +39 328 652 6705

Fax +39 066 020 0736

 

Livorno, Italy.

 

Pisa and Florence was the first of the 3 tours we booked with RIL. Our driver Clara (or actually Maria Clara) met us on the pier at 8:00 am and whisked us away in the mini-van that would seat 7 people. We were in Pisa at 8:35, but the access to the tower allows only 45 people every 30 minutes. Clara quickly negotiated for us to be allowed in so that we can spend 25 minutes climbing the tower instead if waiting for the next group. I stayed back with Clara (I was in the tower in the past) and we spent time just chatting while the rest of my family climbed the tower and enjoyed the view. After a short walk around and mandatory “hold the tower” pictures we were off first to drive around Pisa (did you know there is a SECOND Leaning Tower in Pisa?) and then to Florence. I do not want to go into all the details of our Florence tour, but I do want to mention that everything was fantastic and we did exactly what we wanted to do and saw everything we asked RIL to see. The only place we were not able to visit was the Great synagogue as it is closed on Saturdays. Clara was talking to us all the time and even thought she is technically a driver and not a tour guide, she provided us with so much detailed information that we probably will not be able to retain. She knew every corner of the city, the best place to have lunch (fresh paninni sandwich and a glass of wine from a place that looks like a hole in the wall, but fabulous food!), the BEST place to have gelatto and everything else. Clara really knows the area well, she truly loves it and she made our day very informative, enjoyable and fun! After a busy day we were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pisa tower access: 15 euro/person. CC accepted.

Ufizzi Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Academia Gallery: 10 Euro/person plus 4 Euro per ticket if you request RIL for advance ticket reservation (worth it as there is no wait time spent). Cash only.

Lunch at a “hole in the wall” plus gelatto”: about 7 euro/person.

 

Civitavecchia, Italy.

 

Rome was our second tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Nicola met us on the pier at 8:00 am and showed us to a spotless beautiful Mercedes Benz. The car was top of the line, but it may not be comfy for 3 “above average” people in the back seat. Nicola also has a pilot’s license and he expertly “flew” our car to Rome. We had a nice chat in the car and, as we approached Rome, Nicola began the information portion of the tour. Again, he is a driver and not an official guide, but I am not sure how much more info a tour guide would be able to provide. Throughout the day Nicola provided us with a lot of info, so we really did not need any guides in any of the places we visited. In Rome tourist buses are only allowed to stop/park in certain places, but because we were not with the bus, we were able to squeeze through the narrow streets and get really close to the places we wanted to see. Nicola recommended a nice place for lunch which was very good indeed. We had a great day with Nicola and we saw so much in less than 8 hours in Rome! We were back to the ship shortly after 5:00 pm.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Colloseum (includes entrance to the Emperor’s palace): 12 euro/person. CC accepted.

St. Peter’s basilica: free

Pantheon: free (we could not go inside as there was a Sunday mass, but could see the church through the open doors)

Jewish Museum/Synagogue: 23 Euro for 4 of us. CC accepted.

A couple of churches where they have interesting artwork: free, but we gave some donations.

Lunch: 40 euro for 4 people, including wine and tip. CC accepted.

 

 

Naples, Italy.

 

Amalfi Coast/Positano/Sorrento/Pompei was the third tour we booked with RIL. Our driver Rafaele met us at 8:00 am and after a short walk we were shown to our van that would normally seat 8 people. He gave us a brief overview of the area and its history and we headed off to Positano and then to Sorrento. The drive along the Amalfi coast offers the most beautiful views, but beware if you have vertigo/issues with the heights. Rafaele made the drive look effortless, expertly navigating forever winding road. On our way to Positano we stopped at a roadside fruit stand where Rafaele got us some local grapes to taste – yum! Positano is a very picturesque village that was used for several movie sets, but it very touristy. Sorrento is beautiful with a lot of nice shops and many, many tourists. After a nice lunch in Sorrento, we started off to Pompeii. This place is a “must” to see! We met our private tour guide Gino and we spent 2 hours with him walking through the ancient city and learning about its history. In 2 hours we were able to see about 5% of Pompeii! After Pompeii we were on our way to the ship with Rafaele singing “O Sole Mio”. We arrived to port at about 5:00 pm and Rafaele presented us with a bottle of limoncello compliments of RIL. Very nice touch!

NOTE: This is a good tour to share with others as there is little chance that there will be issues as to the itinerary. The Positano stop was about 30 minutes, and a couple of hours in Sorrento is plenty for every one in the group to do what they prefer.

 

Costs:

Your tour costs as quoted by RIL, plus tips as you see appropriate. Cash only.

Pompeii: 11 euro/person. Cash Only.

Pompeii tour guide (pre-booked by RIL on our request): 100 euro for 2 hour tour (absolutely worth it). Cash only.

Lunch in Sorrento: 50 euro for 4 people (with tip and free limoncello shots provided by the restaurant). CC accepted.

Thank you so much for taking the time to make such a detailed report. We will be using this company for the 3 ports next September. Do you know how I can print just your message? If that is not possible, could you email it to me at Buffs212aol.com? Thanks, Lindy

[bobgail]

we were 15 of us on tour and the price was 1300 - we tipped 200 and all our drivers seemed quite happy with it.

[jesse]

We just returned from our cruise, and are past clients of Romeinlimo, so of course booked them again as soon as we booked the cruise-which was pretty last minute. We had Giovanni in Naples, he was fantastic, he did all that we wanted, went to Positano, spent time at the beach and shopping, then since I was hoping to try Lacryma Christi, he had it for us with peaches, so refreshing, and just a small indication of how Romeinlimo pleases you as a client. We asked for great pasta with a fantastic view, and ended up in the heavens-literally-at La Tagliota, which was so panoramic that you felt like you were up in a plane-fantastic food, great people, and then we went to San Pietro hotel, to check it out for future potential, and off to Sorrento for more shopping and touring. We did not go to Pompeii this trip, last time we went to Pompeii and Jany arranged a great tour guide for us there, so we opted for Sorrento this time, and a return to Positano, which is one of our favorite spots. We had a GREAT day! Next day, on to Roma, and Mauro was our guide, he is a 9th generation Roman, and WOW, what he knows! We have been to Rome multiple times, have also had Jany book us tour guides at the Vatican as we did again this time. It never gets old, it never is the same, and our guide Braden was wonderful. Mauro made sure all our requests were fulfilled and we had so much listed to do-he performed miracles. We even got to see Duman again, in Rome, which was wonderful! The next day, Clara in Livorno. What a wonderful day with Clara-beginning with a panoramic view of Florence and it just got even better from there. We toured, we shopped, we ate at a locals restaurant which was delicious, and we topped off the day with a visit to a winery which was fabulous! We bought wine, tasted the lovely appetizers they prepared, and just loved the entire day. We have used Romeinlimo in the past, their service is impeccable, they handled everything we needed and wanted, and did it perfectly. I would never consider using another company, since we have yet again had a perfect trip thanks to Duman, Jany, Giovanni, Mauro and Clara.

[sween10]

Looking to see if anyone has formed a group tour to Rome.
My husband and I are looking to join..Thx Michele

[hylasgirl]

[quote name='sween10']Looking to see if anyone has formed a group tour to Rome.
My husband and I are looking to join..Thx Michele[/QUOTE]


Try checking out your Roll Call board. I have formed many tours with Romeinlimo and had NO problem filling the tour on my roll call.

Good luck!

[kehlx2]

I would agree with most of the posters here--we used RIL when we were there last Dec. Everything went smoothly & we had a GREAT time--I have since forgotten who was our driver & our Guide for the Vatican though..:o

If we ever get to come back I will for sure book using this company--they are wonderful from the time you first 'talk' (email) with Jany to the end & back home--I'd love to do Rome & some other ports in the future & we will use RIL to do so--now just hoping we will be back.

Perhaps they are a bit more expensive but I used them because they were VERY highly recommended thru CC

[ejw]

just wanted to say that we used RIL for our day in ROME on august 23rd. our driver was Onofrio and our Vatican guide was Sarah. Both of them were wonderful, personable, and friendly. They gave us plenty of interesting information and made sure we saw everything. I would highly recommend both of them and RIL.

ellen

[CruiserBruce]

We just finished a 25 day cruise and trip around the Med. In Italy we used Rome in Limo for all of our transport- airport to hotel, hotel to port, port to airport when two S-I-L departed after first half of the trip. Mario took the 4 of us from airport to hotel. He was a little shy- I think 3 tall blond women from America yakking away at a jetlagged 90 mph might have scared him:D!

I didn't remember the name of the driver who took us from the hotel to the port- he also took the two S-I-L to the airport midway thru the trip. He was very nice, talked with me. The 3 tall blonds yakked away in the back at only 70 mph.

Plus we an 8 hour tour in Naples for DW and I. Carmine was our driver. He came home to America with us. We stole him. Sorry Duman and Jany. He is awesome. Fun, informative, interesting. Good English- watch out- he knows many of our slangs as he lived in Boston for awhile. Great food recommendation. And thanks for the Limoncello and Limoncello ice!

Annnd..... DW and I had an 8 hour tour after we left the ship in Rome. Onofrio was our driver as well. Very nice, very informative, covered and explained many many sites. Great food recommendation. Only suggestion- give Onofrio a sedan- he is a little too softspoken to be heard in a van.

Our tour in Rome included Sarah for the Vatican. We had heard much about her, and had requested her. WOW! Funny, very knowledgable. Knows the Vatican and it's history like her own home. The [I]only[/I] way to see the Vatican is with Sarah.

We found R-I-L to be worth every penny. Intimate knowledge of the areas. Great tricks- like going to the Vatican at 2pm, when the crowd is probably one tenth of the morning crowd. Getting to Pompei before the hordes- we felt almost alone, there were so few people when we arrived. The line as we left had hundreds in it. Great food recommendations. Very prompt service, great vehicles.

No, I don't work for R-I-L. But we did get to meet Duman outside the Vatican with Sarah. Sorry we didn't get to meet the "Boss":D