RomeInLimo questions

[mj1010]

This was the oddest thing--we never felt rushed. Granted, we drove by the steps and the visit to the Forum was at an overlook,but we could see everything from that vantage point. We did not go into the colosseum but had over 45 minutes at this stop for photos and a little lesson with before and after pictures from Vincenzo. Every other place we had all the time we wanted. Vincenzo would take us one place, show us where to walk and then pick us up somewhere else which saved a lot of time.

Also, by him calling the restaurant ahead of time and our guide at the Vatican--we never had to wait. By having a great group of fellow cruise critic folk sharing the tour, we also were able to meet our driver at exactly 8:00 which meant that by the time we got to the catacombs, an English speaking tour was getting ready to depart. The entire tour was like a finely oiled machine. I do not know how we got to see all we did--a combination of luck, a great driver and never having to wait. It was also nice to not ever have to worry about the time--I knew Vincenzo would do that!:)

 

Thanks -- it sounds like we can definitely do all this. One more question -- did you tell Romeinlimo everything you wanted to see and do beforehand or did they plan the whole day for you?

[Terpnut]

I have had so many different drivers with Romeinlimo over the last few years and haven't had a bad one yet. I would DEFINITELY recommend Raffaelo for Naples though. He was SO awesome! He really made our day.

 

I also suggest getting a guide for the Vatican museum. It is one thing to have someone drop you off there, it is entirely something else once you get inside. It is HUGE... and if you are really into art and history, I would get a guide. It made all the difference to us. NOW, if you just want to wander and don't really care about all the amazing things inside the museum, I guess walking through would be good enough for some.

 

Have a great time! Rome is an amazing city!

 

Don't be nervous about not using a ship tour. I will never go back to ship tours. Especially in Europe!

Hi Steph! We just had Rafaele too the day before last in Naples for the same tour and he was great! What a character! He says hello!

 

I've now met SEVEN different drivers and tour guides with romeinlimo and they've all been great! And we still have two more transfers too upon our return to Rome in over a week! Can't recommend Duman and his operation more! :)

Edited July 9, 2009 by Terpnut

[olechka]

Thanks -- it sounds like we can definitely do all this. One more question -- did you tell Romeinlimo everything you wanted to see and do beforehand or did they plan the whole day for you?

 

We didn't tell them what we wanted to see beforehand except for pre-arranged guides etc but nobody in the group had any specific things that weren't already part of the itinerary.

 

However, we did learn that the 2nd RIL van in Rome didn't get to go inside the St. Peters Basilica, which is absolutely insane to me as that was the highlight for us. So if there is something specific you want to see, telling the guide or driver is a good idea. That group also paid something like 25 EUR for pizza at the restaurant the driver took them, which is obnoxious price for pizza. So whene we go to the Mediterranian again, I'm requesting specific drivers from RIL for sure.

[Lindypc]

Thanks -- it sounds like we can definitely do all this. One more question -- did you tell Romeinlimo everything you wanted to see and do beforehand or did they plan the whole day for you?

After dozens of emails from Jany (2 Med cruises with romeinlimo), we had developed a friendship (she treats everyone the same) and I had asked for suggestions of some places we had not been. I knew that even though we had been to the Vatican 2 years prior, we would need to go again in order to get others to join us on our tour. Of course, I could go every year. So she suggested the catacombs (I had never heard of them before) and then Vincenzo took us everywhere else. You must eat at that restaurant with the four course meal and wine for 20 euros--it was ecstasy.

[Peteymil]

More praise for RIL. Just got back yesterday and used them in Rome(Francesco), Naples(Carmine) and Florence(Fabrizio). The drivers were a wealth of information, and were all terrific. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

[eandj]

RIL questions re Vatican..

If using RIL for Rome, did you order your Vatican tickets thru the Vatican site (18 e) , thus saving about $20 per couple... or did you just have RIL order with their upcharge?

 

About what time do they get you to the Vatican and how long did you get to tour there on your own?

 

Did you reserve a Vatican tour guide either thru RIL or on your own? Advisable?

 

If not doing a private tour, if we have prearranged tickets, do we still wait in longer lines?

 

What time were you picked up and arrive in Rome?

 

Did they take you to the Catacombs, or was that something that takes a great deal of time away from the Vatican afternoon?

 

What time did you head back to you ship?

[szdiver]

Wow what a lot of information here.....will try to answer some of your questions....

1. At the vatican, we arrived around noon and toured with a guide provided (for a fee of course) by Romeinlimo....very knowledgable and fun

2. We picked up Julie at the gate where she had already waited in line for tickets..

3. can't answer questions of waiting in line if you order tickets

4. we were picked up at the dock when we arrived by ship.....and delivered back there in plenty of time....

5. catacombs are one thing we haven't done yet - but want to .....

 

hope this helps.....

[Grandpaul]

RIL questions re Vatican..

If using RIL for Rome, did you order your Vatican tickets thru the Vatican site (18 e) , thus saving about $20 per couple... or did you just have RIL order with their upcharge?

 

About what time do they get you to the Vatican and how long did you get to tour there on your own?

 

Did you reserve a Vatican tour guide either thru RIL or on your own? Advisable?

 

If not doing a private tour, if we have prearranged tickets, do we still wait in longer lines?

 

What time were you picked up and arrive in Rome?

 

Did they take you to the Catacombs, or was that something that takes a great deal of time away from the Vatican afternoon?

 

What time did you head back to you ship?

 

If you have prearranged tickets you don't stand in line as far as I know. We were picked up at our ship around 8 AM. and headed back around 4:30. I don't think you can do the Catacombs and The Vatican in the same day. You would miss too much. I used a RIL tour guide and she was excellent.

[Lindypc]

If you have prearranged tickets you don't stand in line as far as I know. We were picked up at our ship around 8 AM. and headed back around 4:30. I don't think you can do the Catacombs and The Vatican in the same day. You would miss too much. I used a RIL tour guide and she was excellent.

We did the Catacombs, The Vatican and like 8 other things in one day (see prior post). As far as pre-ordering tickets to the Vatican--ask Jany from RiL. Our guide was waiting for us as per our guide's phone call and she took us to the ticket booth, there was no line however, this was our last stop so the Vatican wasn't crowded. I probably have 150 emails to Jany with questions about Rome, Florence and Tuscany and she gladly answers everything in a timely matter. I felt like such a pest but she was always so sweet.

[cbowler]

Hello! I am brand new to the Mediterranean forum having just spent 14 months over on the Alaska forum. This thread is great and I'm now very intrigued about our cruise on the Ruby next September. A few quick questions:

 

1 - How much extra is a guide at the Vatican?

2 - How far in advance do you need to book RIL? They sound very popular.

 

I'm just back from Alaska but can't help starting to think about Europe!

 

Thanks.

[mj1010]

I'm cruising in September and booked my tours about 3 weeks ago -- no problem getting a van for 6 people. We did get a discount for booking all 3 tours with them.

 

The price for the guide at the Vatican is 150 Euros.

[cbowler]

Hi mj1010 - thanks for the quick answer. That info helps a lot!

[vinodoc]

Just got back from Med cruise and used RIL for 3 ports. We ara a party of five with 2 kids age 8 and 12, so the agenda was not to see everything in 8 hrs, but in a more leisurely pace.

 

In Naples, we have Lorenzo who's English was very good as he lived in LA and visit the States often. He took us to Pompeii first before all the major tour groups show up or gets too hot. We have a private guide which was excellent as this place is huge and to really understand and enjoy this place, you really need one... how else are you going to find a an ancient ruin building with a male genitalia carved to the side of a building for fertility... not kidding here. After this, we head leisurely to Sorrento and what a lovely drive with photo opportunities. There we had plenty of free time to walk around the narrow streets, do some shoppings, and enjoy outdoor cafe and people watching. We then have a late lunch at Restorante Delfino which is right on a pier and the sea breeze on a warm day is very nice. This restaurant is also listed on Rick Steve's guide book. The view, the food are fantastic.... I did not want to leave. I mean, I am on vacation, what's the rush.

 

In Rome, we have Mauro. He also lived and worked in the States for awhile. Boy, if you like history, or just want to learn about history, he is the guide for you. The long drive from the dock to the city, he enthusiastically gave us a talk on Roman history which make passing time easily. We decided ahead of time that we will not visit the Vatican on this trip as we have been there twice before. So he took us to visit the "pyrimid", the second largest Basilica (after St. Peter's), the St. Paul Basilica Outside the Wall. This place does not get much tourists at all and an amazing place. We then visit the coliseum, forum, circus maximus, San Clemente Basilica where you go underground to see multi-layer of Rome with one civilization building on top of the other. Again, no lines, no large amount of tourists... then circus Maximus, Trajan column, Pantheon, Trevi fountain. He then showed us the "secrete passage" we read so much about in the book "Angels and Demons", and drove past Castelo St. Angelo. We then have lunch at a local restaurant where local Vatican priests came to eat. The ravioli was to die for and all those antipasto... After lunch then go to the catacomb and the kids have a blast. We then return to the ship and on route stopped by for gilato!!

 

For Livorno, we had Vinny. We have been to Florence and feel few hours in Florence is just not enough, so opted for Cingue Terre. We arrived at Riomaggiore, and did the Via d'Amore walk to the next town Manarola. From here we took a boat, bypass Corniglia as this town does not have a stop, but looks great from the water. Onece in Vernazza, we had lunch at a fantastic restaurant next to the boat dock call Restorante Belforte, which is an old fort that they converted to restaurant. The view from atop of this for was great. This is also listed in Rick Steve's guide book. From Vernazza to Monterosso, we went by train. It was Saturday, so all the locals are out in force on the beach. By this time our kids are melting under the sun, the Vinny suggested since we have time, we should go to Pisa on the way back. What a wonderful idea!

 

All and all, a very long post just to tell you that I am very happy with RIL service and will for sure use them again!

 

Kevin

[robbinsca]

We used Rome in Limo for Florence and Naples/Pompeii, but another person had booked us for Rome with RomeCabs. We were very pleased with both.

 

if I had to give an edge to one or the other I would probably lean to Rome in Limo.......because of the "famous" Jany. Jany must really be about 12 people, because there is an answer to all of your questions within minutes, not hours, after you email.

 

We had groups of 8 in each spot, so had a big van, but 8 is sure a lot better than 165 on the cruise line tours.

 

If you do use Rome in Limo for Florence get them to take you to the Gelateria called La Carraia. They had REAL gelato, not the factory stuff...........it was really, really good.

[Livefree888]

Hello! I am brand new to the Mediterranean forum having just spent 14 months over on the Alaska forum. This thread is great and I'm now very intrigued about our cruise on the Ruby next September. A few quick questions:

 

1 - How much extra is a guide at the Vatican?

2 - How far in advance do you need to book RIL? They sound very popular.

 

I'm just back from Alaska but can't help starting to think about Europe!

 

Thanks.

 

With RIL, the cost of the Vatican guide (licensed) is 150Euros. I'm booking mine only 5 weeks prior to my cruise so I don't think you will have an issue.

 

Romecabs I believe is 120Euros for two hours. Other places may have different rates.

[robbinsca]

I didn't put it in the post.........I think our tour guide cost 100 euros, plus the tip.

[cherylakers]

Has anyone had 8 in their group?? We are thinking of using them for transfers from FCO to Rome hotel and hotel to port plus some tours in Rome. They say they accomodate 8 in one of their vehicles, but I am wondering how tight this would be and also can they accomodate all the luggage for the transfers??

 

Thanks

Cheryl

[travelite]

Has anyone had 8 in their group?? We are thinking of using them for transfers from FCO to Rome hotel and hotel to port plus some tours in Rome. They say they accomodate 8 in one of their vehicles, but I am wondering how tight this would be and also can they accomodate all the luggage for the transfers??

 

Thanks

Cheryl

 

They have a fleet of vehicles and match the size of the vehicle to the group and needs. I wouldn't be concerned. They are a very reliable company and do a great job. We had a group of six and all were comfortable in a small mini-van. You would be given a larger van for 8. Be sure to tell them how many and the size of the suitcases you will have for the transfer.

[detwings]

I can tell you about our experience with Romeinlimo on our cruise. Here is a little background about us. We (husband, wife 50,s and son 19) returned on 5/25/09 from the NCL Gem - round trip from Barcelona. Our ports of call were Malta, Naples, Rome, Florence/Pisa and Cannes. We have over 30+ cruises under our belt and have always taken cruise ship excursions. This was our first trip to the Med, via cruise, and we wanted to make sure we made the most out of our days in port and sightseeing - in one day.

 

After much research, both online, NCL website and cruise boards, we decided to use private tours and went with the highly recommended tour company Romeinlimo we read so much about from everyone. THEY ARE FANTASTIC!!!!! We booked them for Naples, Rome, and Florence/Pisa and were able to negotiate a discount especially if you use them in all three ports. We corresponded with Duman, the owner, via email and actually got to meet Duman in Rome. One of the drivers was sick and he was filling in. What a GREAT and OUTGOING man!!!!! Its so nice putting a face to someone you talk to via online. I cant say enough about him.

The drivers meet you on the pier holding up a sign with your last name on it. We were off the ship by 7:45 am (we were a group of 5, 3 of us and another couple we met on the CC boards) and were greeted by our driver and escorted to a Mercedes mini van (holds up to 6). Very, very nice and comfortable. Our driver in Naples was Raffali - wonderful. Did some stops for pictures. Also went to a wonderful little furniture shop - gorgeous furniture!! The fruit stands we saw had the largest lemons/oranges I ever saw. Great lemons to make Limoncello with.

 

Our driver in Rome was Vincenzo also wonderful. He had a book about Rome. He gathered us together and he would read us a little info from the book and show us the pictures inside of the sites we visited and how they looked like before/after. Great little book. Had to have one. We ended up buying one from a stand we stopped at right before lunch.

 

Our driver in Florence/Pisa was Fabrizio - also wonderful and very very knowledgeable - a walking encyclopedia. Fabrizio told us about a sandwich place (enough to hold 2 gentlemen) that served wine, and soft drinks. Very cheap and very good. Sandwiches were no more than 3Euro. We had 4 sandwichs, 4 glasses of wine and a soda for 17Euro! It was between the Duomo and the Uffizzi down a side street. Thank you Fabrizio!!! Our son was very impressed (yep a 19 year old) with him and took in everything he had to say. Our son rode in the front seat with each driver and wouldn’t give up his seat next to any of them for anyone! Any place we toured that tickets were involved, the drivers got the tickets/reservations for us and escorted us to the front of the line to get in. We never had to wait at all. This was a great perk.

 

We ended up paying 100Euro per person/per port. The advantages: MUCH CHEAPER than the cruise ship, you are with a small intimate group (not a large bus crammed with people), personalized and tailored (if you want - see their website) and saw more things. We saved $$$ using them versus NCL excursions. I brought home NCLs excursion pamphlet with sights/prices and there was NO comparison and a no brainer - Romeinlimo is the ONLY way to go. I just cannot say enough about them. Their responses to our emails were prompt. They are professional, smart, funny, a wealth of information (especially places to eat), great great people.

 

Also one concern people had when wondering to take private excursions vs cruise ones that I read, and had to admit, I had the same concern. Will you miss your ship? NO.. these drivers know their business. We never got back to the ship later than 5:30 pm (cruise ship left at 7pm - all on board at 6:30pm). They also knew the roads', traffic ins and outs and the shortcuts when needed. This should be no concern for anyone

If you have any questions about them, please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

[Peteymil]

I can tell you about our experience with Romeinlimo on our cruise. Here is a little background about us. We (husband, wife 50,s and son 19) returned on 5/25/09 from the NCL Gem - round trip from Barcelona. Our ports of call were Malta, Naples, Rome, Florence/Pisa and Cannes. We have over 30+ cruises under our belt and have always taken cruise ship excursions. This was our first trip to the Med, via cruise, and we wanted to make sure we made the most out of our days in port and sightseeing - in one day.

 

 

We ended up paying 100Euro per person/per port. The advantages: MUCH CHEAPER than the cruise ship, you are with a small intimate group (not a large bus crammed with people), personalized and tailored (if you want - see their website) and saw more things. We saved $$$ using them versus NCL excursions. I brought home NCLs excursion pamphlet with sights/prices and there was NO comparison and a no brainer - Romeinlimo is the ONLY way to go. I just cannot say enough about them. Their responses to our emails were prompt. They are professional, smart, funny, a wealth of information (especially places to eat), great great people.

 

Also one concern people had when wondering to take private excursions vs cruise ones that I read, and had to admit, I had the same concern. Will you miss your ship? NO.. these drivers know their business. We never got back to the ship later than 5:30 pm (cruise ship left at 7pm - all on board at 6:30pm). They also knew the roads', traffic ins and outs and the shortcuts when needed. This should be no concern for anyone

If you have any questions about them, please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

 

Wow, you got a great price at 300 Euro per port (100euro x 3). That is quite a bit less than usual.

[travelite]

I can tell you about our experience with Romeinlimo on our cruise. Here is a little background about us. We (husband, wife 50,s and son 19) returned on 5/25/09 from the NCL Gem - round trip from Barcelona. Our ports of call were Malta, Naples, Rome, Florence/Pisa and Cannes. We have over 30+ cruises under our belt and have always taken cruise ship excursions. This was our first trip to the Med, via cruise, and we wanted to make sure we made the most out of our days in port and sightseeing - in one day.

 

After much research, both online, NCL website and cruise boards, we decided to use private tours and went with the highly recommended tour company Romeinlimo we read so much about from everyone. THEY ARE FANTASTIC!!!!! We booked them for Naples, Rome, and Florence/Pisa and were able to negotiate a discount especially if you use them in all three ports. We corresponded with Duman, the owner, via email and actually got to meet Duman in Rome. One of the drivers was sick and he was filling in. What a GREAT and OUTGOING man!!!!! Its so nice putting a face to someone you talk to via online. I cant say enough about him.

The drivers meet you on the pier holding up a sign with your last name on it. We were off the ship by 7:45 am (we were a group of 5, 3 of us and another couple we met on the CC boards) and were greeted by our driver and escorted to a Mercedes mini van (holds up to 6). Very, very nice and comfortable. Our driver in Naples was Raffali - wonderful. Did some stops for pictures. Also went to a wonderful little furniture shop - gorgeous furniture!! The fruit stands we saw had the largest lemons/oranges I ever saw. Great lemons to make Limoncello with.

 

Our driver in Rome was Vincenzo also wonderful. He had a book about Rome. He gathered us together and he would read us a little info from the book and show us the pictures inside of the sites we visited and how they looked like before/after. Great little book. Had to have one. We ended up buying one from a stand we stopped at right before lunch.

 

Our driver in Florence/Pisa was Fabrizio - also wonderful and very very knowledgeable - a walking encyclopedia. Fabrizio told us about a sandwich place (enough to hold 2 gentlemen) that served wine, and soft drinks. Very cheap and very good. Sandwiches were no more than 3Euro. We had 4 sandwichs, 4 glasses of wine and a soda for 17Euro! It was between the Duomo and the Uffizzi down a side street. Thank you Fabrizio!!! Our son was very impressed (yep a 19 year old) with him and took in everything he had to say. Our son rode in the front seat with each driver and wouldn’t give up his seat next to any of them for anyone! Any place we toured that tickets were involved, the drivers got the tickets/reservations for us and escorted us to the front of the line to get in. We never had to wait at all. This was a great perk.

 

We ended up paying 100Euro per person/per port. The advantages: MUCH CHEAPER than the cruise ship, you are with a small intimate group (not a large bus crammed with people), personalized and tailored (if you want - see their website) and saw more things. We saved $$$ using them versus NCL excursions. I brought home NCLs excursion pamphlet with sights/prices and there was NO comparison and a no brainer - Romeinlimo is the ONLY way to go. I just cannot say enough about them. Their responses to our emails were prompt. They are professional, smart, funny, a wealth of information (especially places to eat), great great people.

 

Also one concern people had when wondering to take private excursions vs cruise ones that I read, and had to admit, I had the same concern. Will you miss your ship? NO.. these drivers know their business. We never got back to the ship later than 5:30 pm (cruise ship left at 7pm - all on board at 6:30pm). They also knew the roads', traffic ins and outs and the shortcuts when needed. This should be no concern for anyone

If you have any questions about them, please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

 

We had the same experiences with Rome in Limo ....and also Vincento as driver in Rome. They have their business and tours down to a science. Just relax and enjoy if you book with them.

For independent tours around Sorrento (Naples; Amalfi Coast; etc.), I'd like to recommend Sorrento Silver Star. They too are fantastic.

We always do independent tours whenever possible. If you plan to go to Cinque Terre, I'd recommend taking the ship's tour unless your driver/guide will stay/walk/transfer(ferry & train) with you continually going from village to village. Also if doing this tour during warm weather, bring along a bathing suit.

[cherylakers]

Another question???

 

Has anyone done the 5 hour tour from your Rome hotel to the cruise port. Jany suggested this to me. What did you see?? Was it worth it???

 

Also, who has done the Amalfi coast tour without Pompeii??? What did you see and was it worth it?? It is a full 9 hour day.

 

Thanks

Cheryl

[Terpnut]

Another question???

 

Has anyone done the 5 hour tour from your Rome hotel to the cruise port. Jany suggested this to me. What did you see?? Was it worth it???

 

Also, who has done the Amalfi coast tour without Pompeii??? What did you see and was it worth it?? It is a full 9 hour day.

 

Thanks

Cheryl

As the tour is completely customizable, I recommend you tell Jany what your priorities and interests are and they will work around that. As your time is limited, I think this can be very worthwhile.

 

As for Naples, I personally would not skip Pompeii. However if you are the type that isn't into ruins or perhaps don't want to deal with the heat, spending a couple more hours on the Amalfi coast is not a bad way to go. Many people will say that the Amalfi coast was the most beautiful place in the Mediterranean, and perhaps the world. With the extra time, you can spend more time in Positano or even make it all the way to Ravello or beyond. Or you could spend more time in Sorrento or even have time for a trip to Capri. Your options are limitless.

Edited July 30, 2009 by Terpnut

[Terpnut]

As we just spent almost a month in the Mediterranean, including over a week in Italy, I'd like to summarize our experience with Romeinlimo:

 

1. Francesco was very prompt and speedy getting us to and from Fiumcino for our two transfers to or from the airport.

 

2. For our Vatican tour, Sarah did a very good job with the kids and my parents (and their short attention spans).

 

3. Got to meet owner Duman as he handled the transfer to Civitavecchia himself. What a super nice and very knowledgeable guy! Gave us some great Roma touring and gelato tips! Grazie!

 

4. Laura did a super job despite very tight time constraints and an aggressive itinerary in Livorno-Pisa-Lucca-Firenze. This included time to climb the Leaning Tower--something most people don't find time to do!

 

5. By now, everyone knows of Rafaele of Sorrento--a fun character! He did a super job in Napoli getting us to Pompeii, Sorrento and Positano. While Rafaele looked sharp in his suit, I did feel bad that Duman makes his drivers dress professionally in the hot Italian summer days!

 

6. In Pompeii, Lucia was perhaps our favorite guide of the entire trip. She did a fantastic and interesting job making Pompeii come to life.

 

7. Although I only had the pleasure of meeting Luka (sp?) for just a few minutes--I was just hitching a ride from Termini to San Giovanni in Laterano (he was leading another group from our cruisecritic roll call and they were being nice to me)--I nevertheless enjoyed the time with him too.

 

8. Pietro was very quiet but honest driver who handled our transfer from Civitavecchia back to Roma. I say honest because he told Francesco later that I had accidentally overpaid him and they credited that overpayment to my final transfer to FCO!

 

9. And how about Jany? Despite my frequent (and probably occasionally annoying) emails, she was always helpful, courteous and responsive. A big part of having a good experience with a tour is in the pre-trip planning and communications, and Jany was the rare coordinator who understands that they have to answer questions and answer them promptly so your customers can have confidence that a specific tour will take place when, where, how and for how much, the customer expects. I cannot overstate how important this is to reducing trip planning stress.

 

Mille grazie Romeinlimo! We will definitely use again when we return to Italia! :)

Edited July 30, 2009 by Terpnut

[Peteymil]

Another question???

 

 

Also, who has done the Amalfi coast tour without Pompeii??? What did you see and was it worth it?? It is a full 9 hour day.

 

Thanks

Cheryl

 

Just did three tours with RIL and loved every one. The personal service and attention made every day outstanding.

 

We did do Pompeii, but if I was to skip it, I would have definitely continued along the Amalfi Coast to Ravello, which is supposed to be absolutely gorgeous.