RomeInLimo questions

[SondraC]

Thanks! For the additional info!

[RzCruzes]

Hi SondraC:

I have used RIL for several (many) years and they have always done an A++ job. I totally agree with the some of the other posts in regards to Livorno. We had a wonderful time and saw much more than I thought possible, but never felt rushed. There is always a personal touch to thier service. Seeing "David" was a highlight as was seeing Pisa, both the town and the tower.

 

I have used RIL in both Rome, Florence and Pompeii and three different trips, and found that this was the most time saving way to tour both areas. The private guides that RIL can arrange for you are surperb in both the Vatican and in Pompeii, the fee is well worth more than is charged. We were given a wealth of information and were able to see much more than if we were doing this on our own. The professional drivers are from the areas that you are touring with them, and they know the traffic, short cuts and alternate routes to get you to your desination quickly and safely. There is no guess work.

 

If you contact Jany at info@romeinlimo dot com she can help you plan a tour day with what you want or do not want. They will customize a tour for you.

 

We just returned from our trip in mid December and we had 40 persons from Cruise Critic that toured Rome, Pompeii and surrounding areas, and it was a great time. It was great to meet everyone that we had been posting with during the planning of the cruise on our thread on the sail date.

 

I highly recommend RIL and I am sure you will be more than pleased with thier service.

Have a great trip. I hope this was helpful.

[SondraC]

Hi SondraC:

I have used RIL for several (many) years and they have always done an A++ job. I totally agree with the some of the other posts in regards to Livorno. We had a wonderful time and saw much more than I thought possible, but never felt rushed. There is always a personal touch to thier service. Seeing "David" was a highlight as was seeing Pisa, both the town and the tower.

 

I have used RIL in both Rome, Florence and Pompeii and three different trips, and found that this was the most time saving way to tour both areas. The private guides that RIL can arrange for you are surperb in both the Vatican and in Pompeii, the fee is well worth more than is charged. We were given a wealth of information and were able to see much more than if we were doing this on our own. The professional drivers are from the areas that you are touring with them, and they know the traffic, short cuts and alternate routes to get you to your desination quickly and safely. There is no guess work.

 

If you contact Jany at info@romeinlimo dot com she can help you plan a tour day with what you want or do not want. They will customize a tour for you.

 

We just returned from our trip in mid December and we had 40 persons from Cruise Critic that toured Rome, Pompeii and surrounding areas, and it was a great time. It was great to meet everyone that we had been posting with during the planning of the cruise on our thread on the sail date.

 

I highly recommend RIL and I am sure you will be more than pleased with thier service.

Have a great trip. I hope this was helpful.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this! We are not new to cruising, but are new to the Mediterranean area. It always seems so overwhelming when I first start to plan a trip, but in the end it does all come together.

[Terpnut]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this! We are not new to cruising, but are new to the Mediterranean area. It always seems so overwhelming when I first start to plan a trip, but in the end it does all come together.

Whether you DIY or use a tour company like RIL depends largely on where your personal "sweet spot" is between doing things independently, being very organized and willlingness to take the risks/responsibilities of DIY on the one hand, versus your budget (i.e. spending more money to be escorted) on the other. While I personally am very much like cruisemom and other independent travelers in every way, I also have to travel with my parents and young children often too so I very much appreciated having the luxury, flexibility and expertise of RIL for these same ports. And since cost is not a major factor for me, I opted to use a personalized tour and/or transfers by RIL. For me, the value-added for the higher costs was very worth it.

 

In Napoli, for example, as cruisemom and others have already pointed out, it is very easy to take the train and do your own tour of Pompeii. But only with RIL can you walk right off the ship and go, and arrive at Pompeii well BEFORE any other tour buses or independents can get there. Then, because we had our own air conditioned van, we went straight to Sorrento and later to Positano at our convenience. So although we spent alot more than DIY (but still less than a cruise excursion), it was worth it to get more done and to have maximum flexibility for our group. For me, it is worth it to spend twice as much to get 30% more out of your day over DIY. The same applies to Roma and Firenze. :)

Edited January 24, 2012 by Terpnut

[travelfan20]

Hi

 

Just finished booked our excursions with Rome in Limo for our upcoming cruise in August.

We are really excited about our journey and looking forward to it!

 

We are doing an Amalfi coast tour and also another tour on Sicily

This is our second time using Rome in Limo and I must say dealing with Jany has been a pleasure. Very patient and helpful with all my questions

 

I would not hesitate to recommend them to others .

 

Cheers

[hylasgirl]

First-timer in Italy... going in July 2012. Our stops will be Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Messina. Which would be the best port(s) to use RomeInLimo?

 

We want to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome and Pompeii in Naples but we haven't decided what to do from Livorno or Messina.

 

We are not going to use the cruise excursions - we are very comfortable arranging our our excursions and/or using local transit (taxi, train, etc.)

 

Sondra

 

 

Sondra... I would definitely use Romeinlimo in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples AND Messina. All these ports are so deserving of a private tour. We found people to join our tours from each stop and it was totally worth the money. For the places of interest being a bit outside of port, it's nice to have the ease of a private tour. It makes use of every second of your day. In Messina, theee place to go is Taormina! It's so adorable... incredible day... and not the best to try on your own. The same can be said for Livorno. I've done a ship tour, did the train... and have used Romeinlimo several times in Livorno and can say that with sharing the cost with a few others, the price can't be beat. This last June we decided to do wine tastings on the Montecarlo wine road that is close to Lucca. We toured Lucca and then went on to some amazing vineyards. It's one of the best days we've had with Romeinlimo. We had been to Florence several times, both land and cruise trips and wanted something difference. Incredible day!

 

You'll get so much more out of your day with a private tour.

[cruisemom42]

In Napoli, for example, as cruisemom and others have already pointed out, it is very easy to take the train and do your own tour of Pompeii. But only with RIL can you walk right off the ship and go, and arrive at Pompeii well BEFORE any other tour buses or independents can get there. Then, because we had our own air conditioned van, we went straight to Sorrento and later to Positano at our convenience. So although we spent alot more than DIY (but still less than a cruise excursion), it was worth it to get more done and to have maximum flexibility for our group. For me, it is worth it to spend twice as much to get 30% more out of your day over DIY. The same applies to Roma and Firenze. :)

 

While I of course understand why some choose to go with a private tour versus doing it on your own, the bolded statement is absolutely not true. I've gotten to Pompeii on the train prior to the site's even being open. I don't see how a driver can get you there any earlier???

 

Also, just wanted to provide the flip side to your post, which is that I often feel I get 30% (or more) out of a day of DIY than with a private tour. Why? Because I do all the research, and at the end of the day, I know MUCH more about what I saw and did than someone who just hears the information once (assuming it's even accurate) from a driver or a guide.

 

I can't tell you how many people come back from a trip and can't remember everything they "saw" in a day with a tour (ship or private). If you come back home, look at your photos, and can't remember what it is a picture of, you aren't getting the most out of your day.

 

Sondra... I would definitely use Romeinlimo in Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples AND Messina. All these ports are so deserving of a private tour. We found people to join our tours from each stop and it was totally worth the money. For the places of interest being a bit outside of port, it's nice to have the ease of a private tour. It makes use of every second of your day.

 

I'm curious about this statement. Makes use of every second? I've read so many times how people on private tours with a driver sleep in the car on the way to/from sites. Meanwhile, I am walking to the train station and seeing local life at street level; I am riding the train or bus and enjoying observing the interactions of folks doing what they do every day; I am out there in the bustle of a living city as opposed to just driving through it in a car and seeing it through a (usually closed) window at 25 mph.... And of course, I've spent hours preparing for my trip, so I am not wasting any time figuring out where to go or what to do when I arrive.

 

As an example: I recently posted about a DIY day where I went (together with eurocruiser) to Hadrian's villa outside Rome. We used the metro and public buses to get there and back. On our return trip, the bus was full of Italian kids riding home after school. It was priceless seeing the young boys trying their best to get the girls' attention, watching the few older folks on board shame the kids (in an affectionate, Italian way) into giving up their seats to their elders.....it was just a slice of life. Would I have gotten more out of a ride in the back of late-model heavily air conditioned sedan? Doubtful...

[CruiserBruce]

cruisemom42, Rome in Limo got us to Pompei prior to opening. We had some time to shop outside before it opened, and our first hour there was without the hordes of bussed in cruise ship passengers. That was a definite plus.

 

Not arguing the train could get you there as well. But this was a highlight with Rome in Limo.

[Terpnut]

While I of course understand why some choose to go with a private tour versus doing it on your own, the bolded statement is absolutely not true. I've gotten to Pompeii on the train prior to the site's even being open. I don't see how a driver can get you there any earlier???

I didn't mean to say one can't get there early by train, but it will take more effort for you to do so--that's all. And RIL will certainly beat all the cruise sponsored excursions. For most people, it's simply just not worth doing the research to know the terrain and train schedules, and get off the ship ~30 min earlier so they can get off the ship, take the train and walk over to Pompeii to DIY. It works for you and me, but it doesn't work for my parents (absolutely need to minimize walking), my wife (too stressed waiting for trains), or my kids (need that extra 30 min of sleep).

 

Also, just wanted to provide the flip side to your post, which is that I often feel I get 30% (or more) out of a day of DIY than with a private tour. Why? Because I do all the research, and at the end of the day, I know MUCH more about what I saw and did than someone who just hears the information once (assuming it's even accurate) from a driver or a guide.

 

I can't tell you how many people come back from a trip and can't remember everything they "saw" in a day with a tour (ship or private). If you come back home, look at your photos, and can't remember what it is a picture of, you aren't getting the most out of your day.

Cynthia, again I totally agree with you but the point of using a private tour goes beyond what works for you and me. For many (including most in my family) they are simply "drive-by tourists". There are other needs in play here. Some want to minimize walking. And most important, many don't want to do ANY PLANNING WHATSOEVER. You and I might roll our eyes with the notion that MOST people travel but don't really care to research or learn much about what they are seeing, but that is the reality of travel. Given that most people do not want to research prior or learn too much about what they see, a private tour may be suitable. And if your time and effort (and by effort, I mean researching and walking aka DIY) is worth more than your money, then a private tour is perfect.

 

As an example, I did a ton of research and planned an extensive DIY in Barcelona once. It was a disaster. We should've just done a private tour. The reason? I planned all the walks, transfers and sites. Problem? Everyone got bored with seeing too much Gaudi, too much art, and too much history, and because we were on our own, I couldn't easily change our transportation plans. So I continued my death march anyhow, and well, they hated Barcelona. We would've been much better off with a private tour. Should've just done a shorter, escorted "drive-by tour" of the various Gaudi places, some lunch, some shopping, and called it a day. And I should've then gone the rest of the afternoon to see the Gothic Quarter, etc. on my own. You might be appalled that people would not want to explore these wonderful places more, but c'est la vie...

 

I'm curious about this statement. Makes use of every second? I've read so many times how people on private tours with a driver sleep in the car on the way to/from sites. Meanwhile, I am walking to the train station and seeing local life at street level; I am riding the train or bus and enjoying observing the interactions of folks doing what they do every day; I am out there in the bustle of a living city as opposed to just driving through it in a car and seeing it through a (usually closed) window at 25 mph.... And of course, I've spent hours preparing for my trip, so I am not wasting any time figuring out where to go or what to do when I arrive.

 

As an example: I recently posted about a DIY day where I went (together with eurocruiser) to Hadrian's villa outside Rome. We used the metro and public buses to get there and back. On our return trip, the bus was full of Italian kids riding home after school. It was priceless seeing the young boys trying their best to get the girls' attention, watching the few older folks on board shame the kids (in an affectionate, Italian way) into giving up their seats to their elders.....it was just a slice of life. Would I have gotten more out of a ride in the back of late-model heavily air conditioned sedan? Doubtful...

Yes, you and I could probably rent a flat and live in Italy. I personally would never need a van or guide. I would do tons of research pre-trip and I would just live and truly immerse myself in the daily routines of Italy. However the notion of "experiencing a country" is quite foreign and even undesirable to people like my parents. My kids don't even want to be there sometimes. :)

 

Cynthia, it's very important to realize that most people are not travellers like you and me--they are tourists. So while we can TRY to convert more of them to travellers, sadly most people simply don't have the interest. So most of my posts--especially those recommending RomeInLimo--will be aimed at tourists. And as tourists, assuming they have the budget, they are better off with RomeinLimo than they are with a cruise excursion or on their own. :rolleyes:

Edited January 27, 2012 by Terpnut

[cruisemom42]

Cynthia, it's very important to realize that most people are not travellers like you and me--they are tourists. So while we can TRY to convert more of them to travellers, sadly most people simply don't have the interest. So most of my posts--especially those recommending RomeInLimo--will be aimed at tourists. And as tourists, assuming they have the budget, they are better off with RomeinLimo than they are with a cruise excursion or on their own. :rolleyes:

 

I hear ya. ;)

 

I just feel the efforts of DIY are so worthwhile that I can't resist piping up, especially when there are at least a few folks, without children or parents, who might consider trying things on their own but read threads like this one that so strongly discourage it.

 

Of course I'm not going to change the mind of folks who are dyed-in-the-wool "let someone else figure it out" types, and I know there are others for whom private tours are definitely the best answer.

 

I also think it's good to keep folks honest. Private tours aren't always 30%better, they don't always see more, and they don't always get you there faster than you can get there on your own. :cool: (I know this is the Italy forum, but a good example is Istanbul. The traffic there is so horrendous that there is absolutely NO way a driver in a car can get you around as quickly as taking the fast and easy local tram.)

 

That said, I'd be happy to walk Rome with you any day....!:)

[Terpnut]

I hear ya. ;)

 

I just feel the efforts of DIY are so worthwhile that I can't resist piping up, especially when there are at least a few folks, without children or parents, who might consider trying things on their own but read threads like this one that so strongly discourage it.

 

Of course I'm not going to change the mind of folks who are dyed-in-the-wool "let someone else figure it out" types, and I know there are others for whom private tours are definitely the best answer.

 

I also think it's good to keep folks honest. Private tours aren't always 30%better, they don't always see more, and they don't always get you there faster than you can get there on your own. :cool: (I know this is the Italy forum, but a good example is Istanbul. The traffic there is so horrendous that there is absolutely NO way a driver in a car can get you around as quickly as taking the fast and easy local tram.)

 

That said, I'd be happy to walk Rome with you any day....!:)

People should learn more about the places they visit (before, during and after the trip!), but I am stuck in the middle of a family that makes me the odd-ball. My dad doesn't want to walk anywhere--heck I have to force him to even leave the ship. Sadly, the next day, he typically can't even remember what saw. My mom tags along but we'd save money if we'd just leave her on the ship to read her books. She doesn't care about itineraries so a cruise to nowhere is perfect for her. My wife is a bit paranoid about using local transportation in most foreign countries. My kids have fun splashing in fountains or climbing ruins, but don't even try to teach them something about the history or culture, or dare enter a museum! They're still young though so I am still hopeful they will develop a true love for travel when they get older! We showed our kids where we were married at the Piazza del Campidoglio in Roma, and they were excited by that!

 

Anyhow, you are right, private tours aren't always better. But they are almost always better (and cheaper) than the cruise tours. And, for most, they almost always see more than they would've have on a cruise tour, hired a taxi, or if they just wandered off on their own (without doing research). And they will have the additional confidence of dealing with a reputable company.

 

I assume that if you're already visiting this thread, then you already don't want to DIY, and are looking for a good private tour operator. That's why I am here to highly recommend RomeInLimo. I strongly agree that it would be highly preferable do your research and do-it-yourself as a first choice. But sadly, this is not an option or fit for many people.

 

Cynthia, I would love to one day ditch my family and walk some European cities with you too! :D

Edited January 27, 2012 by Terpnut

[hylasgirl]

 

 

 

I'm curious about this statement. Makes use of every second? I've read so many times how people on private tours with a driver sleep in the car on the way to/from sites. Meanwhile, I am walking to the train station and seeing local life at street level; I am riding the train or bus and enjoying observing the interactions of folks doing what they do every day; I am out there in the bustle of a living city as opposed to just driving through it in a car and seeing it through a (usually closed) window at 25 mph.... And of course, I've spent hours preparing for my trip, so I am not wasting any time figuring out where to go or what to do when I arrive.

 

As an example: I recently posted about a DIY day where I went (together with eurocruiser) to Hadrian's villa outside Rome. We used the metro and public buses to get there and back. On our return trip, the bus was full of Italian kids riding home after school. It was priceless seeing the young boys trying their best to get the girls' attention, watching the few older folks on board shame the kids (in an affectionate, Italian way) into giving up their seats to their elders.....it was just a slice of life. Would I have gotten more out of a ride in the back of late-model heavily air conditioned sedan? Doubtful...

 

I'm not sure how many private tours you have been on, but I'm thinking not many... and that is totally cool... but I've never had one tour with Romeinlimo (or any other private company for that matter) where the driver was asleep in the van

 

There is a TON of merit in DIY tours. I do it ALL the time... regardless of what you may think. I travel extensively and almost ALWAYS arrange everything on my own using my own two feet and public transportation. I actually hate vehicles. BUT... in my opinion... AND ONLY voicing my option (since this is the type of forum that it is) I believe that these ports in Italy are more worthy of a private tour than doing in yourself. TOTALLY more worth it to me (any many others) to pay for a private tour and not deal with the logistics of transportation, time and worry. Very cool if it's your thing to make your way to the local train station and deal with all the research it involves to make the most out of your 8 to 10 hours in a port. That part is absolutely NO fun to me. AND, regardless of what you may think.. yet again... I have done it. SO I do know the differences.

 

EXAMPLE... one year in the port of Livorno I thought it was a grand idea to take the train into Florence. Easy peasy... did the research... made a plan and off the 4 of us went. First off we had some issues with getting a taxi at the port to take us ONLY to the train station. We finally accomplished this and then we muddled our way trough getting 4 round trip train tickets. This is NOT easy for most cruisers. The train was ready to go... we had to run... or wait another 90 minutes! No lie. (or 45 and then go through Pisa which ended up being about the same time table). This departure was NOT on my research papers. SO, we did manage to catch the train. This proved to be the crappiest train ride to Florence... and I'm not saying they are all like this... just prepare for plan, B. C. or even D. The train stopped about 40 minutes into our ride, in the middle of nowhere and there we sat on the tracks for TWO HOURS!!! Someone kept coming on and announcing something, but we couldn't understand Italian and no one else looked at all worried, so we sat... and sat... and finally underway we were again. I'm LOVING the local transport at this time and really enjoying the life out on the streets. Not. We finally pull into Florence and we have roughly 4 hours to piddle around before taking a train back that gave us sufficient time to get back to the ship. This totally sucked and I will never, ever do it again. And I will caution anyone else that thinks it's easy. I can have my own "private tour" opinion, just like others can have their DIY opinion. I don't criticize those that do. Back to the story... we arrived back to the station with not a cab in sight. It took us roughly 30 minutes to get a cab for 4 people. This area is too far to attempt to walk. SO... I won't do the math on this wasted time in Florence, but I think you can probably figure out that it was way more than I'm comfortable with.

 

I get every ounce of my time in these ports with Romeinlimo. And not only that... the talk of the local life on the city streets... I take away something that is just important and similar. We've actually had so much fun getting to know some of our drivers... where they live... the local life... details that you don't get by touring on your own "as" a local. We've met someone's wife and sat down to coffee and breakfast with them. I like to talk to these people. It's one of the aspects of the private tours that we quite enjoy. Heck, we've been to these ports so many times that we are finding other things that interest us. You don't have to agree with me. I don't really care. But I don't challenge all of your DIY ideas (or any for that matter)... so I'd appreciate it if you didn't challenge mine. You have no idea how many DIY tours I do. I have walked or biked most of France with my own 2 feet... You don't have to get anything out of a day with a private tour. No one is asking you to. But unless you have toured this way, you shouldn't really knock it.

 

And I've never toured in the back of a sedan... ever! All vans are BRAND new Mercedes models... air conditioned (which I happen to love) and we stop whenever and do whatever we please. It's quite lovely. No, it's not the same price as a bus ticket. But I don't really care. What's worth it to me may not be worth it to you. I can live with that. I've never regretted ONE penny I have spent on a private tour in any city around the world. But I have regretted a lot of other tours that I have done on my own. Research is key... knowing what is within your comfort zone is another.

 

Romeinlimo ROCKS!!! :D

Edited January 27, 2012 by hylasgirl

[euro cruiser]

I'm not sure how many private tours you have been on, but I'm thinking not many... and that is totally cool... but I've never had one tour with Romeinlimo (or any other private company for that matter) where the driver was asleep in the van

You misread what was written. Beyond that, why so defensive? A question was raised about a hyperbolic statement you made; no one questioned your knowledge or experience, merely the statement.

[cruisemom42]

I'm not sure how many private tours you have been on, but I'm thinking not many... and that is totally cool... but I've never had one tour with Romeinlimo (or any other private company for that matter) where the driver was asleep in the van

 

You don't have to agree with me. I don't really care. But I don't challenge all of your DIY ideas (or any for that matter)... so I'd appreciate it if you didn't challenge mine. You have no idea how many DIY tours I do. I have walked or biked most of France with my own 2 feet... You don't have to get anything out of a day with a private tour. No one is asking you to. But unless you have toured this way, you shouldn't really knock it.

 

 

First, you seem to have misread what I said. Many folks have posted on this board (on this thread, even) that when they are on a tour with RIL, they sleep in the car either going or returning. I was merely using that as an example to contest your statement that people "make more of every second" on a private tour. I never said the driver was sleeping, nor did I challenge whether YOU as an individual make the most of YOUR every second.

 

Second, I've been on many private tours. Perhaps more than you've done DIY. In fact, I'll be in the Sorrento/Naples area for a week in late March with a friend, and the two of us are paying for the privilege of having a well-respected and well-qualified private guide with us for two full days in order to see and have access to sites we otherwise couldn't see on our own. (Places many cruisers have not even heard of.)

 

I've also paid for a private tour for MYSELF alone, for a full day, in places where I couldn't possibly get to what I wanted to see on my own in the course of a day -- such as two full days with a guide in Israel (and trust me, each one of those days was like paying for a full day with RIL -- for one person) in Egypt, and in Turkey. When there is value, and when I can get access or knowledge by using a private guide vs doing something on my own, I will do so.

 

Finally, I beg to disagree with you that you never knock DIY. I can cite many examples of posts on this forum where the poster has asked a question specifically about doing something on their own and you have responded that using a private tour is the only way to go. (Of course, the peerless RIL is always mentioned....:rolleyes:).

 

In this particular case, I initially responded here to a poster who said they felt fairly comfortable doing things on their own. I simply wanted to give that person a different viewpoint, since by their own admission, they were considering DIY. Instead, I got trounced by the usual RIL partisans....

 

In the end, hopefully people realize this entire thread is a thinly veiled advertisement for RIL's services. Of the high number of responses so frequently touted to others , I just did a quick count and found that 215 are from the same 6 RIL cheerleaders. I've never taken one of their tours, but if their drivers are half as good as their marketing plan, they must be good value indeed.

Edited January 27, 2012 by cruisemom42

[chipmaster]

Just to share with you what happend to us, not a stretch.

 

In Naples were were almost the first off the ship. RIL was part of 10-20 vans right next to the boat. We hoped right on, many in our party of 15 weren't exactly happy that we got off so early, me driving them. We were close to the first people in line at Pompeii. We captured a few very nice pictures before the tour bus crowd came. Could DIY beat us, maybe, could they have done as much as us later, NO WAY. Right after we finished it was getting hot and crowed but we were done. Off we went with stops at Amalfi, Ravello and great lunch overlooking the coast.

Sure DIY got to see other things but as long as people know what they are getting and missing..

 

As to sleeping, I can say I didn't sleep I was always asking and poking questions at our driver. I would say out of the 6 drivers we had 4 were very good, one average, one a newbie and not so good. Others choose to sleep, that was their choice not to hear the stories or answers to my question. I will wager those that fall asleep in the private tour are the same that would fall asleep on the train, bus or whatever. Those that want to learn more will. Who knows what tidbit you might learn from a local driver that you'll not get from a tour book.

 

Some go to see a regular day including back alleys, public transportation. Those by defintion I wonder why they are even doing a cruise, they should be doing a land tour. Most doing the cruise are doing it because they want to see more and know they have to make compromises...

 

 

By the way the late model mercedes had good AC and was greet for my 70 and 80 something parents, inlaws and kids. They would have never done so much nor seen so much if I had been crazy enough to DIY in the summer in any of these ports.

 

I won't bore you with all the things we checked off in Rome that no DIY with 80 year olds and tween could have done.

 

Now is that for everyone, no...

 

Just saying :D

 

While I of course understand why some choose to go with a private tour versus doing it on your own, the bolded statement is absolutely not true. I've gotten to Pompeii on the train prior to the site's even being open. I don't see how a driver can get you there any earlier???

 

Also, just wanted to provide the flip side to your post, which is that I often feel I get 30% (or more) out of a day of DIY than with a private tour. Why? Because I do all the research, and at the end of the day, I know MUCH more about what I saw and did than someone who just hears the information once (assuming it's even accurate) from a driver or a guide.

 

I can't tell you how many people come back from a trip and can't remember everything they "saw" in a day with a tour (ship or private). If you come back home, look at your photos, and can't remember what it is a picture of, you aren't getting the most out of your day.

 

 

 

I'm curious about this statement. Makes use of every second? I've read so many times how people on private tours with a driver sleep in the car on the way to/from sites. Meanwhile, I am walking to the train station and seeing local life at street level; I am riding the train or bus and enjoying observing the interactions of folks doing what they do every day; I am out there in the bustle of a living city as opposed to just driving through it in a car and seeing it through a (usually closed) window at 25 mph.... And of course, I've spent hours preparing for my trip, so I am not wasting any time figuring out where to go or what to do when I arrive.

 

As an example: I recently posted about a DIY day where I went (together with eurocruiser) to Hadrian's villa outside Rome. We used the metro and public buses to get there and back. On our return trip, the bus was full of Italian kids riding home after school. It was priceless seeing the young boys trying their best to get the girls' attention, watching the few older folks on board shame the kids (in an affectionate, Italian way) into giving up their seats to their elders.....it was just a slice of life. Would I have gotten more out of a ride in the back of late-model heavily air conditioned sedan? Doubtful...

[hylasgirl]

If you don't have an answer then why reply? I have been going over the MANY pages of this thread, but silly me thought people could ask questions.

 

 

You should feel comfortable asking anything about Romeinlimo service on this thread :) Don't let anyone bring you down. This thread is far too large to search for specifics. If you want to know anything, please just ask. Things get crazy on this thread... and it would be lovely if those people on this thread just stuck to the questions at hand... which are Romeinlimo questions:)

 

I have taken almost every tour offered by Romeinlimo. Only because I have been on many different Med cruises, and usually travel with a large enough group to justify the cost for myself. No, it's not cheap. But like I have said before... I never regret a penny that I spend on private tours that interest me.

 

Enjoy the planning whatever you choose. Planning is one of the greatest parts of these trips I think. :)

[samavarcruiser]

If you don't have an answer then why reply? I have been going over the MANY pages of this thread, but silly me thought people could ask questions.

 

If you are planing to do any of this tours on your own, check this site: http://www.europeportreviews.com Have fun :)

[Gracie115]

In the end, hopefully people realize this entire thread is a thinly veiled advertisement for RIL's services. Of the high number of responses so frequently touted to others , I just did a quick count and found that 215 are from the same 6 RIL cheerleaders. I've never taken one of their tours, but if their drivers are half as good as their marketing plan, they must be good value indeed.

 

Well I'm most likely one of those 215...and while I don't disagree that this thread certainly is a great advertisement for RIL, one might also look at their site on Trip Advisor and see the overwhelming positive reviews given to them. I think they did a great job for us, we are using them again AND we are doing some DIY too....but for our first trip to the Med last year when we knew NOTHING it was wonderful having them showing us around and they did a great job. Their "marketing plan" as you refer to it mostly consists of satisfied customers, and yes that's the best kind a business can have.

[Kimmer17]

I'm not going to enter into the debate regarding DIY or Tour guides, but I do want to ask Cruisemom about this...

 

"In fact, I'll be in the Sorrento/Naples area for a week in late March with a friend, and the two of us are paying for the privilege of having a well-respected and well-qualified private guide with us for two full days in order to see and have access to sites we otherwise couldn't see on our own. (Places many cruisers have not even heard of.) "

 

What are these places and sites??? We like to travel off the beaten path, and would love to see unique and interesting areas.

[euro cruiser]

What are these places and sites??? We like to travel off the beaten path, and would love to see unique and interesting areas.

While waiting for Cruisemom to reply I'll suggest one option near Naples, the royal palace and gardens at Caserta. Very few Americans seem to make it there, even though I think it outshines Versailles. More about it here: http://www.incampania.com/en/beniculturali.cfm?s=5&Menu_ID=194&Sub_ID=195&Info_ID=3609

Edited January 31, 2012 by euro cruiser

[cruisemom42]

I'm not going to enter into the debate regarding DIY or Tour guides, but I do want to ask Cruisemom about this...

 

"In fact, I'll be in the Sorrento/Naples area for a week in late March with a friend, and the two of us are paying for the privilege of having a well-respected and well-qualified private guide with us for two full days in order to see and have access to sites we otherwise couldn't see on our own. (Places many cruisers have not even heard of.) "

 

What are these places and sites??? We like to travel off the beaten path, and would love to see unique and interesting areas.

 

 

Some of the places we plan to visit (in addition to revisiting Pompeii, Herculaneum, and the Archaeological Museum in Naples):

 

• Paestum -- beautiful Greek temples, museum, Roman ruins
  
• Oplontis -- fabulous Roman villa buried (along with Pompeii and Herculaneum) in the Vesuvius eruption; possibly belonged to a member of the Imperial family
  
• Boscoreale -- another Roman villa near Pompeii; some of its outstanding frescoes can now be seen in the Metropolitan Museum in New York where they built a special room for them
  
• Villa Jovis -- Imperial villa of Tiberius, ruins located at the craggy top of Capri
  
• Amphitheatre in Pozzuoli (ancient Puteoli) -- featured in "Underground Cities" show on History Network, built by the same architects who constructed the Colosseum with beautifully preserved area below the "stage"
  
• Baia Archaeological Park -- ruins of numerous villas (this was the poshest place to live in late Republican/early Imperial Roman times) and public buildings; glass-bottom boat ride to see ruins now under water
  
• Rione Terra -- area of Roman ruins in Pozzuoli, underground access to ancient streets, shops, passageways
  
• Cumae (modern Cuma) -- including the supposed "cave of the fortune-telling Sibyl" who wrote the Sibylline prophesies so revered by ancient Romans
  

We are doing some of these on our own and others with the guide.

[Kimmer17]

Thanks so much. Apparently I have a lot of research ahead of me!! LOL. We were on a Med Cruise 2 years ago (Cruisemom, I think you were there too) that went to Naples. Now we are taking the kids (9 and 17), and want to fill our days with the extraordinary, not the ordinary.

[cruisemom42]

Thanks so much. Apparently I have a lot of research ahead of me!! LOL. We were on a Med Cruise 2 years ago (Cruisemom, I think you were there too) that went to Naples. Now we are taking the kids (9 and 17), and want to fill our days with the extraordinary, not the ordinary.

 

What a wonderful goal!

 

This thread is probably not the place to continue the discussion, but if you ever need help with planning, feel free to post a question to me (or anyone else) on the forum. Other than ancient sites, eurocruiser probably knows more about the Naples area than me...!

[cirman52]

We are booked for 2 person tours ( unless I get another couple to join us) for 3 ports with RIL. My question is, how much to tip the driver/guide as well as Vatican guide?

thanks

[Gracie115]

We are booked for 2 person tours ( unless I get another couple to join us) for 3 ports with RIL. My question is, how much to tip the driver/guide as well as Vatican guide?

thanks

 

 

A good standard to go by, I think, is 15% or more...but that's just us, if you feel they deserve less than fine, more than fine too, it's a personal thing!!