My wife and I, along with three other couples are going on a Med cruise in October. We will be visiting 4 ports in Italy. We are considering hiring an English speaking driver rather than booking the more expensive tours on the ship. One of the companies that I am considering has a web site at www.driverinitaly.com
Has anyone heard of this company? I would appreciate any advise on the best way to take full advantage of the limited time that we will have in each port. Many thanks – beachbum2go

Hello beachbum2go;
I read with interest your posting as my wife and I also are taking a Med Cruise in October. As a newcomer to this site, I would like to tail-gate your postings and share the thoughts of responders, as well as contribute any info I may come across.
Best wishes and Bon Voyage
seatravlr

My wife and I, along with one other couple are going on a Med cruise in October too. We will be visiting 4 ports in Italy. We are considering hiring an English speaking driver rather than booking the more expensive tours on the ship. We have watched Smatha Brown Past port to Europe and she suggests to use ITC for a personal driver. However we can not locate it yet. I will keep you posted if we find it. Please let me know if you find anything out about your queston. Bye the way what cruise line are you going on?

Hello bmotzkin;
We are booked on Carnival's "FREEDOM".
I have watched both Samantha Brown and Rick Steves and enjoy the coverage equally. I found Rick Steves website very interesting also.

Best Wishes and Bon Voyage

I could suggest you to take my Rome tour,feel free to click the link to my website and you will see that my rates are quite affordable and I hope that my "history's lessons" won'y bore you (unless you like it).
Mr beachbum2go,if you kindly write to my e-mail address we could have better reciprocal points of view about prices...
My e-mail is:
filippo@rome-tours.org
Sincerely
Mrblogrome

I also watch Samatha Brown faithfully. She recommends ITC, which while good, I found to be a bit more expensive than some others. You have to remember she isn't paying the expenses herself. The gentleman Flippo@rome-tours.org is more resonable, you can organize the tour instead of following they schedule and you decide what you really want to see. You can also hook up with another group from the cruise and share the cost. It is what we do on all cruises.

www.driverinrome.com is an excellent private tour company. Our family used them in 2005 at 3 different stops. They were so good, we are using them again this October. Our drivers were wonderful and the correspondance by email was excellent. We felt like part of their family by the time we left. If you want a worry free option for private tours in Italy please try them.

I took a cruise last May to the Mediterrean. It started out in Italy. I flew there a few days in advance so that I could tour Rome. I booked the airline through Celebrity cruise lines at a much higher cost that included transfers. But, we left from Chicago, our flight delayed, we arrived at Dulles only to find that our seats were not comfirmed and we had to wait for another flight. Since we were not confirmed, our luggage did not arrive in Rome until 3 days later.

But, the ship was very nice and clean. The food was very good.

Rome is very dirty and be very careful of pickpockets. I had "a fanny pack" under my top and while walking felt someone trying to get into the shoulder bag I was carrying. Pick pockets are rampant in Rome and I had been told this prior to leaving.

We went to Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Turkey. While very nice, I felt we did not get enough time in each port. I took the tours that Celebrity offered. The only disappointment was the tours in Mykonos and Santorini. I took the tour to Delos and the wine luncheon. Skip them, they are not worth the money. The tour of the Acropolis was awesome. Also, the ruins in Rome are quite something to seen. One of the tours we took was a tour of Rome at night, and it was very pretty.

I was very disappointed in the Italian food in Rome. I have had much better in the US.

The dollar is not doing well compared to the euro. I was getting 60 earos for $100 and it changed daily. I wound up spending much more than anticipated. I kept thinking dollars, not euros. Also, if you go to the Vatican, buy any crosses, rosaries, etc., directly inside St. Peter's gift shop. They are more than 50% cheaper than the nice gift shop the tour bus takes you to.

I think a personal driver would be nice, you may hook up with some others and get a limo. Don't try to drive, it is absolutely crazy there. I kept my eyes closed a lot of the time.

Take comfortable shoes that have been worn before, don't take new ones. There is a lot of walking in Rome and Athens. It was also very hot while there, 100 degrees. Take along hats and sunblock for the tours.

Other than that have a great time.

quote:

Originally posted by seatravlr:
Hello beachbum2go;
I read with interest your posting as my wife and I also are taking a Med Cruise in October. As a newcomer to this site, I would like to tail-gate your postings and share the thoughts of responders, as well as contribute any info I may come across.
Best wishes and Bon Voyage
seatravlr