RomeInLimo questions

[readytogo155]

We just returned from our RCCL cruise and LOVED, LOVED, LOVED our RomeinLimo tours. Our guides were one of the highlights of the trip.

 

We had taken two previous excursions booked through the ship - Palma and Aix-en-Provence - and were not thrilled with those companies - the motorcoach was uncomfortable with NO legroom, mediocre air conditioning, we had to constantly wait for 40 people to show up at meeting place, go to restroom, and go through forced shopping stops. The ship tour guides were ok but not great.

 

What a difference Rome in Limo was! For Pisa/Florence, Rome and Naples, we took 3 RomeinLimo tours and it was the exact opposite of our experience through the ship: these were comfortable, air conditioned vans with plenty of leg room, water bottles and a perfectly entertaining guide. We had 8 people on two of our RomeinLimo tours and 4 on the other and the tours were personalized with exactly what we needed e.g. a couple of stops (instant banker and tickets). My daughter loves to take pictures and loved the fields of sunflowers - so the driver found a place to pull over and stop for her to take pictures up close (I can't imagine that the motorcoach would have done that). They drop you off as close as possible to the entrance of the various sights and tell you exactly where to go to beat the crowds, give you tips regarding what not to miss, etc. At many places, they went with us to the entrances - even getting us in ahead of a massively long line at one museum. The first day, I was a little nervous about what would happen if we were late coming back but we were back by 5:30pm for a 7:30pm all aboard each time. The drivers communicate with each other so they know if there are traffic issues (or if a museum is closed for a strike, etc.) I would definitely use them again - absolutely worth the money!

[ken_nyc]

ours was 180EU a couple weeks ago

 

I assume that was for the whole group?

 

Thank you Theredofshaw & Hun

Edited August 10, 2015 by ken_nyc

[Theredofshaw]

I assume that was for the whole group?

 

Thank you Theredofshaw & Hun

 

yep. wife and I shared the tour with a family of 4 (2 adults/2 teenagers). in the end, the price after tips came out to be DRASTICALLY cheaper than what RCI wanted for something similar as a small group.

[Disney Deb]

Has anyone ever had an issue pre-paying their tours? I was trying to pre-pay our tours of Rome and Naples for Dec. I'm trying to pre-pay as much as I can before our final cruise payment comes due. Anyway, when I sent Jany an email to that affect, it took her a few days to respond and then I felt like all last week we were paying email tag about it. She finally sent me an email saying "are you sure you want to pre-pay now? Once I send you the link, you have two days to pre-pay before it expires". I responded that yes, I want to pre-pay now. (which was like t he 3rd time I'd said that). I waited days with no response. Finally I reached out yesterday and said basically, I'm still waiting for this link to pre-pay and got back "You will be paying in cash at the end of the tour as prepayment was not made on time and expired." ***??? I"m sorry-all I've ever heard/seen is how prompt and responsive she is. I wasn't expecting this. Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue.

[CruiserBruce]

Did you look in your Spam folder? That is an occasional problem.

 

Things happen some times. Particularly as humans are involved. However, Rome in Limo customer service is excellent.

[Disney Deb]

Thanks for your reply to my vent :).

I have a Spam folder and a "Quarantine" folder. I've been tracking both of them. I even checked my work email over the weekend so that I could see this confirmation email that I needed to respond to.

I'm wondering if it's a translation problem-maybe she really didn't want me to pay this far in advance? If that's the case, I would have been fine with it.

[mare s.]

Thanks for your reply to my vent :).

I have a Spam folder and a "Quarantine" folder. I've been tracking both of them. I even checked my work email over the weekend so that I could see this confirmation email that I needed to respond to.

I'm wondering if it's a translation problem-maybe she really didn't want me to pay this far in advance? If that's the case, I would have been fine with it.

 

I've had the complete opposite experience. We booked several months ago planning to pay in cash but then decided that prepaying would be much easier. I sent an email to Jany two days ago to that effect (and to ask if she could split the final cost between two credit cards, ours and our traveling companions), she responded within 24 hours and almost simultaneously another email arrived with the invoice and payment instructions. Easy-peasy. I would contact Jany again and explain the situation. As I understand, you have up until a week before the tour to pre-pay, so I'm sure it can be arranged.

[Disney Deb]

Thanks, Mare-I will try that!

I don't understand what the issue was and didn't anticipate having a problem.

[Theredofshaw]

I tried to pre pay but was told otherwise by Jany. Was told that because I was sharing the tour with someone else the system wouldn't allow them to do it. Hate carrying around that much cash.

[Pag4]

My family used Rome in Limo 2 weeks ago during our cruise. We are family of 4, 2 adults and 2 kids thats why I chose to do the private tour. We booked Kid-friendly Florence/pisa and rome highlights. Like many of you, I was so anxious to get our own private tour and not being left behind by the ship. But, Rome in Limo served us well! From the day I first sent them an email to the last time we where in the tour. We paid cash at the end of each tour. they also give discounts for multiple bookings.

 

Florence/Pisa

We had a very spacious 7-8 seater van with tour guide Elizabeth in Florence, she was wonderful. She explained things very well and with a lot of excitement, never rushed us and took us to many places. She points out the must see places and the interesting facts about it. Pisa was our first stop, before everyone got there. All the other cruise tours arrived when we were leaving. Then, she drove us to another leaning building before heading to Florence. She gave us information in the car and told us what to see before we started exploring on our own. Our last stop was a small village which was beautiful we were the only ones there. Elizabeth was my husbands favorite tour guide out of 7 private tours we arranged.

 

Rome

We had another van but this time it looks like it fits 5-6 people. Nikola was our tour guide here. He is very friendly and seem to know every other driver/tour guide we see. My 9y/o daughter actually enjoyed feeling like a princess during this tour. Nikola is very funny and we enjoyed his tour a lot too, explained things very well, gave us a lot of information and showed us pictures in his guide book too.

[Disney Deb]

Thanks to everyone for their help yesterday! I explained the situation to Jany and it turned out that she had sent the pre-payment link but I had never received it. It was never clear from her emails that that was what happened. She re-sent it this morning and I was able to pre-pay.

Theredofshaw-that's a shame. I'm guessing it would only work if you pre-paid for the other people, too. That's what I just did but we are a very small group and are traveling together anyway.

 

Thanks again!!! This is the best forum for cruising questions! I have gotten more help and information here.:D

[Svenson]

:) Just wanted to share the review I just posted on TripAdvisor for Rome in Limo. We were on the NCL Spirit Grand Mediterranean Cruise, July 5 - 20, and we used this company at the ports of Livorno and Naples. Feel free to PM me with any questions:

 

After reading many positive reviews online, we booked Rome in Limo for shore excursions in two ports of our Mediterranean cruise. We were extremely pleased with both tours and would not hesitate to use Rome in Limo for future touring in Italy if we are lucky enough to return someday. First, we stopped in Livorno and had booked the Pisa/Florence tour. Upon disembarking, we were immediately greeted by Laura and set about our busy day. Laura was full of energy and enthusiasm; she was professional and courteous, yet fun and entertaining. She shared a wealth of information as we drove to Pisa and then on to Florence and back to our ship. She shared advice to help us see various sites in the most expedient way (this was the PEAK of tourist season in Italy with unbearably high temperatures), and she gave recommendations for where to eat a delicious lunch and tasty reasonably priced gelato in Florence. Her navigation skills driving a van in the tiny overcrowded streets of Florence and Pisa were very impressive. By the end of the day, we felt Laura was truly a friend and even a family member, and we were very sad to say goodbye. We said our next guide was going to have to be pretty special to rise up to the standard set by Laura. We next met Lello at the port of Naples, where we took the Pompeii/Sorrento/Vesuvius tour. Though his style was very different from Laura, he met the high standard set by her and we were equally pleased with his tour. Lello entertained us with so many humorous and informative stories about Italian cuisine and life in the Naples area as well as his own life where he lives in Sorrento. He recommended a wonderful restaurant for lunch in Sorrento and also a delicious gelateria. When leaving Sorrento for Vesuvius, we learned that the tunnel (the only way out of town) had been closed due to an accident, and that we possibly would not be able to make it to the volcano and back to the port in time. What a huge disappointment, as climbing Mt. Vesuvius was a “bucket list” item that I would probably never get another chance at. Nevertheless, Lello gave us some more time in Sorrento until the tunnel opened and then managed to navigate the crazy roads to get us to Vesuvius – where we literally ran up to the top and back in less than 45 minutes, so that we could arrive at the port in time to catch the ship. What an adventure! Once again, we were so sad to say goodbye to our new friend and adopted family member. Spending nine hours riding with each of these guides could have been miserable if they were boring or unfriendly. But we truly loved every minute we shared with both Lello and Laura and would highly recommend each of them to anyone considering a private tour. Having toured several other ports on our own, and having spoken to several other people who took those horrible large group tours where you are herded like buffalo around major sites, I can truly say that Rome in Limo private tours are the way to go! Thank you, Lello and Laura!

[b_cruise]

:) Just wanted to share the review I just posted on TripAdvisor for Rome in Limo. We were on the NCL Spirit Grand Mediterranean Cruise, July 5 - 20, and we used this company at the ports of Livorno and Naples. Feel free to PM me with any questions:

 

After reading many positive reviews online, we booked Rome in Limo for shore excursions in two ports of our Mediterranean cruise. We were extremely pleased with both tours and would not hesitate to use Rome in Limo for future touring in Italy if we are lucky enough to return someday. First, we stopped in Livorno and had booked the Pisa/Florence tour. Upon disembarking, we were immediately greeted by Laura and set about our busy day. Laura was full of energy and enthusiasm; she was professional and courteous, yet fun and entertaining. She shared a wealth of information as we drove to Pisa and then on to Florence and back to our ship. She shared advice to help us see various sites in the most expedient way (this was the PEAK of tourist season in Italy with unbearably high temperatures), and she gave recommendations for where to eat a delicious lunch and tasty reasonably priced gelato in Florence. Her navigation skills driving a van in the tiny overcrowded streets of Florence and Pisa were very impressive. By the end of the day, we felt Laura was truly a friend and even a family member, and we were very sad to say goodbye. We said our next guide was going to have to be pretty special to rise up to the standard set by Laura. We next met Lello at the port of Naples, where we took the Pompeii/Sorrento/Vesuvius tour. Though his style was very different from Laura, he met the high standard set by her and we were equally pleased with his tour. Lello entertained us with so many humorous and informative stories about Italian cuisine and life in the Naples area as well as his own life where he lives in Sorrento. He recommended a wonderful restaurant for lunch in Sorrento and also a delicious gelateria. When leaving Sorrento for Vesuvius, we learned that the tunnel (the only way out of town) had been closed due to an accident, and that we possibly would not be able to make it to the volcano and back to the port in time. What a huge disappointment, as climbing Mt. Vesuvius was a “bucket list” item that I would probably never get another chance at. Nevertheless, Lello gave us some more time in Sorrento until the tunnel opened and then managed to navigate the crazy roads to get us to Vesuvius – where we literally ran up to the top and back in less than 45 minutes, so that we could arrive at the port in time to catch the ship. What an adventure! Once again, we were so sad to say goodbye to our new friend and adopted family member. Spending nine hours riding with each of these guides could have been miserable if they were boring or unfriendly. But we truly loved every minute we shared with both Lello and Laura and would highly recommend each of them to anyone considering a private tour. Having toured several other ports on our own, and having spoken to several other people who took those horrible large group tours where you are herded like buffalo around major sites, I can truly say that Rome in Limo private tours are the way to go! Thank you, Lello and Laura!

 

Hey..I was on your ship...july 6-20. What a great cruise hey!!! Awesome ports. I used italytoursharing.com. Also great!! I have used RIL too...both great companies...you can not go wrong with either!!

[Svenson]

Oops, I had the wrong date -- should have been July 6th. We left home on the 5th, so that's the date that stuck in my mind.

 

Yes, what a great itinterary! We truly loved EVERY port, each one in a different way. Now we want to go back and visit several of them for a longer stay . . . I guess that's the danger of cruising. ;)

[samavarcruiser]

:) Just wanted to share the review I just posted on TripAdvisor for Rome in Limo. We were on the NCL Spirit Grand Mediterranean Cruise, July 5 - 20, and we used this company at the ports of Livorno and Naples. Feel free to PM me with any questions:

 

After reading many positive reviews online, we booked Rome in Limo for shore excursions in two ports of our Mediterranean cruise. We were extremely pleased with both tours and would not hesitate to use Rome in Limo for future touring in Italy if we are lucky enough to return someday. First, we stopped in Livorno and had booked the Pisa/Florence tour. Upon disembarking, we were immediately greeted by Laura and set about our busy day. Laura was full of energy and enthusiasm; she was professional and courteous, yet fun and entertaining. She shared a wealth of information as we drove to Pisa and then on to Florence and back to our ship. She shared advice to help us see various sites in the most expedient way (this was the PEAK of tourist season in Italy with unbearably high temperatures), and she gave recommendations for where to eat a delicious lunch and tasty reasonably priced gelato in Florence. Her navigation skills driving a van in the tiny overcrowded streets of Florence and Pisa were very impressive. By the end of the day, we felt Laura was truly a friend and even a family member, and we were very sad to say goodbye. We said our next guide was going to have to be pretty special to rise up to the standard set by Laura. We next met Lello at the port of Naples, where we took the Pompeii/Sorrento/Vesuvius tour. Though his style was very different from Laura, he met the high standard set by her and we were equally pleased with his tour. Lello entertained us with so many humorous and informative stories about Italian cuisine and life in the Naples area as well as his own life where he lives in Sorrento. He recommended a wonderful restaurant for lunch in Sorrento and also a delicious gelateria. When leaving Sorrento for Vesuvius, we learned that the tunnel (the only way out of town) had been closed due to an accident, and that we possibly would not be able to make it to the volcano and back to the port in time. What a huge disappointment, as climbing Mt. Vesuvius was a “bucket list” item that I would probably never get another chance at. Nevertheless, Lello gave us some more time in Sorrento until the tunnel opened and then managed to navigate the crazy roads to get us to Vesuvius – where we literally ran up to the top and back in less than 45 minutes, so that we could arrive at the port in time to catch the ship. What an adventure! Once again, we were so sad to say goodbye to our new friend and adopted family member. Spending nine hours riding with each of these guides could have been miserable if they were boring or unfriendly. But we truly loved every minute we shared with both Lello and Laura and would highly recommend each of them to anyone considering a private tour. Having toured several other ports on our own, and having spoken to several other people who took those horrible large group tours where you are herded like buffalo around major sites, I can truly say that Rome in Limo private tours are the way to go! Thank you, Lello and Laura!

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us :)

[Khoops111]

We used Rome in Limo and I am convinced we had the best tour guide in Rome!

Rolando was so knowledgable and the lunch we had with him in a local restaurant near the Vatican was the highlight of our day! The only sad part was only getting the day there while in port on our cruise...! We are at the Ristorante ai Musei...great time and a tremendous host! Thank u Rolando!

[Gracie115]

Hey..I was on your ship...july 6-20. What a great cruise hey!!! Awesome ports. I used italytoursharing.com. Also great!! I have used RIL too...both great companies...you can not go wrong with either!!

 

Odd that you keep mentioning other tour companies on this thread.....:confused:

 

Rome In Limo definitely the best of the best in our opinion. :) We've used them numerous times for walking tours, transfers and driver guides...all wonderful. Can't wait for our return next April and Rome In Limo is already on board for several of our tours in Florence & Rome..... would not consider any other company!!

[bobalink]

We have recently returned from a Mediterranean cruise, and we spent a week in Italy post-cruise.

 

It was our third time to visit Rome and our 3rd time to use Romeinlimo. Their impeccable service begins with the first email to Jany. She promptly replies and gives great suggestions to maximize our time.

 

We used RIL for our transfer and 2 tours.

 

Our driver, Enrico, was absolutely great for our full-day tour. I wanted to visit some of the "less visited" basilicas and churches. He gave us extensive information about each stop before we went in, and told us some of the important things to look for, especially the art work. Enrico was knowledgable about each place we visited and at my request, kept us moving to see as much as possible. We were met with an ice cold bottle of water through out the day, a welcome treat in sweltering Rome.

Enrico was always professional and courteous, and willing to be flexible. I can't say enough about how perfect our day was.

 

For our tour of the Vatican, we had Kate, an excellent guide. I had been to the Vatican before, but it was my daughter's first time. Kate has incredible information and knew right where to go to get the best photo shots, both inside St. Peter's and the exterior, as well. Kate always tried to find something different for me to see since she knew I had been once before. My daughter, a teacher, really enjoyed our tour with Kate.

 

I highly recommend Romeinlimo to our friends and folks I meet on Cruise Critic. They are top-notch, reliable and at the end of the tour, you will feel like you have a new friend in Italy.

[ken_nyc]

We planning on using RomeInLimo for their Rome Highlights tour, how much tip from 4 of us should we give?

Edited August 22, 2015 by ken_nyc

[lhsail]

I have been in communication with Jany in regards to our stop in Rome next March. She has been excellent in responding. One concern that's come up today is the amount of time allowed at the Vatican. She says it must be limited to 2 to 2 1/2 hours to ensure we can leave by 4:00, our ship leaves at 7:00. For those of you who toured with their guide was this sufficient time? My MIL and her sister will be traveling with us, 81 and 79. This is cerainly a once in a lifetime for them and I don't want them feeling rushed and disappointed.

[Gracie115]

I have been in communication with Jany in regards to our stop in Rome next March. She has been excellent in responding. One concern that's come up today is the amount of time allowed at the Vatican. She says it must be limited to 2 to 2 1/2 hours to ensure we can leave by 4:00, our ship leaves at 7:00. For those of you who toured with their guide was this sufficient time? My MIL and her sister will be traveling with us, 81 and 79. This is cerainly a once in a lifetime for them and I don't want them feeling rushed and disappointed.

 

You need to communicate to your guide what is most important for you to see during your time at the Vatican and its museums. No, 2 1/2 hours is not enough to see EVERYTHING, but it will give you a good sampling. We did this same tour and enjoyed it very much, hopefully your MIL & sister are mobile because there is quite a bit of walking involved. The majority of your time will be in the museums and the Sistine Chapel, ending in St. Peter's Basilica, at least that's what it was when we did it. I'm sure your guide can plan your time according to your needs.... Their guides are very good and very knowledgeable and will get you past lines quickly so that you can see more. Enjoy! :)

[jojobean]

We were traveling with 3 other couples and our ages range from mid-50's to mid-60's. All my e-mails were answered promptly and questions answered thoroughly by Jany. We had a small air conditioned van for a full day to explore Rome on our own. Our driver, Nick, was the best. Nick was right there at the port when we got off the ship and was easy to find. Nick was friendly, informative and in tune to our needs. He really wanted us to see the best of Rome. When we booked the tour, we ask to personalize it ourselves and that was not a problem. It was a tight day as we wanted to see the Colosseum, the Vatican and all the important sights. Nick suggested a fantastic restaurant for lunch - fresh pasta made right in front of us. Best of all, we could tell Nick really enjoyed his job as he wanted to show us the best that Rome had to offer in a day -- and he did! The cost was also less than the cruise excursions. I would definitely not hesitate to book them again

[Grandpaul]

I have been in communication with Jany in regards to our stop in Rome next March. She has been excellent in responding. One concern that's come up today is the amount of time allowed at the Vatican. She says it must be limited to 2 to 2 1/2 hours to ensure we can leave by 4:00, our ship leaves at 7:00. For those of you who toured with their guide was this sufficient time? My MIL and her sister will be traveling with us, 81 and 79. This is cerainly a once in a lifetime for them and I don't want them feeling rushed and disappointed.

 

We did the same thing on our tour of Rome. Left the ship and back the same day. Your tour of the Vatican will be stunning. RIL supplied us with our own tour guide who. of course, was named Mary. Make sure you bring a good camera. I don't know how many times I have gone over my pictures. We did get to see most of the buildings and visited most of the highlights. Some places and things I had never heard of before. We never felt rushed but we never stopped either. But there are so many other things in Rome that you must see. Without question the most amazing city I have ever visited. Your RIL tour guide will make sure you have an unforgettable tour.

[KSHexplorer]

We used RIL for transportation from airport to hotel, from hotel to cruise ship 2 days later and for a Rome in a Day tour on a Sunday for 12 people. The booking process several months out was easy, and they responded quickly. When I sent a confirming email the day before we left, I received an immediate reply that we were expected. The Rome in a Day trip was excellent. Our group ranged in age from 17 to 84. We had two vans with knowledgeable friendly drivers who offered excellent information. My 84 year old mother had been to Rome many times, and was not interested in touring the Collesium again but wanted to go along for the ride, so while the rest of the group did that, our driver took two of us to a little cafe where we waited comfortably. Since our Rome in a Day tour was on Sunday, it did not include the Vatican (we toured the Vatican the day before), so we had extra time to visit the Catacombs. Most of our group had never been to Rome before. RIL's Rome in a Day was an excellent introduction! We then used RIL to transport our party of 15 to our cruise ship the next day. Again, the drivers were early and provided great commentary! I highly recommend RIL.

[ymsyms]

We just used Rome in a Limo tour sharing for our shore excursions in both Rome as well as Pisa/Florence. The drivers were fantastic! They are extremely knowledgeable about the places your visiting and have wonderful suggestions about other sites and where to eat. We had Fabio in Rome and Clara in Pisa and they both went out of their way to make sure we were safe, having a great time, informed and educated. The vans are top notch and comfortable.