6/27 Med Cruise-private tour in Florence

[jackson190]

We are considering a private tour in Florence. Can anyone recommend a good company? Also looking to possibly share the tour with another family-our family of four, DDs 8 and 13.

 

[michellebriana]

Are you thinking of including Pisa as well?

 

[jackson190]

Yes, we were considering Pisa. A friend of ours who lived in Italy said that unless you can go up in the tower it is not worth the stop. I have found a company that seems to offer a good tour. It was recommended by another DCL cruiser on this site. If we can get a group of 8 the cost becomes very reasonable and we can see much more.

 

[michellebriana]

Yes, we were considering Pisa. A friend of ours who lived in Italy said that unless you can go up in the tower it is not worth the stop. I have found a company that seems to offer a good tour. It was recommended by another DCL cruiser on this site. If we can get a group of 8 the cost becomes very reasonable and we can see much more.

I have a group of 6 (4 adults/2 children). Depending on the cost, I might be interested in doing the tour with you. Can they accomodate 10 or is 8 the max they can fit in a van? I am currently booked on Florence/Pisa and would like to keep that cost as the max.

 

[jackson190]

This company emailed a quote for a full day excursion, recommended time 8am-5pm picking us up at the dock. They will customize the tour and arrange for tickets to places we choose to visit. I believe the max they can accomodate is 8 people. The charge for a group of 8 is 750 euros. Again, this tour company is highly recommended and after reading the responses on the Florence/Pisa excursion I am seriously considering it!

 

[miclen]

WHich company are you using? We are on the 08-08 cruise and I booked a private tour with presigent.com after it was recommended. I am wondering now when the last tender to the ship is. I want to make sure we don't miss it.

I misspelled the company name. It is prestigerent.com

 

[jackson190]

Yes, prestigerent is the group we have been in contact with. As far as the time to be back on the ship, the DCL excursion is supposed to end at 6:15 and this company suggested an end time of 5pm.

 

[miclen]

Yes, prestigerent is the group we have been in contact with. As far as the time to be back on the ship, the DCL excursion is supposed to end at 6:15 and this company suggested an end time of 5pm.

Thanks. I think we should be okay, but I have this fear of missing the ship! What tour are you planning in Florence?

 

[jackson190]

I have no clue at this point! We are booked on the Florence/Pisa tour with DCL and I will probably try to match their itinerary if we go with this tour company. I am a little nervous about this but I have heard good things. Have you already booked with them? What are you doing? Did you pay credit card or are you paying cash there?

 

[miclen]

I have no clue at this point! We are booked on the Florence/Pisa tour with DCL and I will probably try to match their itinerary if we go with this tour company. I am a little nervous about this but I have heard good things. Have you already booked with them? What are you doing? Did you pay credit card or are you paying cash there?

Yes, I booked yesterday morning for our Aug 8th cruise. I recieved an email back immdiantly. I had made a mistake when I booked and put the wrong port, but they caught it. Unfotunately our port is considerably more expensive. However the tour company is able to reserve the museum tickets in FLorence and will make sure we have time to go up to the top of the leaning tower. It just seems like a better way to see more. I have it reserved for just my family of 4, but ideally if I could hook up with someone else and share the cost that would be great.

I opted to pay cash, mainly because they charge you an extra 4% if you use the credit card.

 

[arbitrage]

We are still looking to do a private tour in both florence/pisa or Rome for the 6/27 cruise. It would be myself, wife, son 12 and daughter 8. Anyone else looking to get the expense down by doubling up??

 

[miclen]

We are still looking to do a private tour in both florence/pisa or Rome. It would be myself, wife, son 12 and daughter 8. Anyone else looking to get the expense down by doubling up??

When are you sailing? We are on the 08/08 cruise and are doing aprivate tour in Florence

 

[AnnaS]

I am on the July 28th cruise and have also emailed two private tour guides. One being the one listed here. I need to find the other one (it was also listed on one of these threads).

We are only interested in Pisa or Pisa and Lucca. We do not want a 10 hour day tour and my family does not want to travel 2 1/2 hours to get to Florence and 2 1/2 hours back.

Would love to hear any additional feedback here.

 

[Deb T.]

Do you have to give prestigerent your credit card info if you plan to pay by cash?

 

[AnnaS]

Deb.

I just got an email from them. They want cc info. only to secure reservation (even though you are paying cash to the driver).

 

[Deb T.]

Thanks, Anna. That's what I thought, but their site wasn't "secure" so I was hesitant to put in my cc info.

 

[AnnaS]

Thanks, Anna. That's what I thought, but their site wasn't "secure" so I was hesitant to put in my cc info.

Deb,

If the site does not have an 800 number (I can't remember if it did or not, I have seen one here and there that does) - can you buy a $5 International calling card near you? We buy them all the time when calling Italy. We try not to use our home phone (way too expensive). Give them a call, perhaps they will take the card over the phone instead of an unsecured website.

I had decided to go ahead and cancel my Florence & Pisa since no one here wanted to be on a bus for 2 1/2 hours. I was willing to do the VIP Pisa or Pisa only tour but nothing has been available since Friday evening - or Pisa had no morning available. Just now while cancelling - I checked again and there was availability for the morning in Pisa. I took it for now. I feel much better already. I can always cancel if I decide to go a different route.

 

[Deb T.]

Deb,

If the site does not have an 800 number (I can't remember if it did or not, I have seen one here and there that does) - can you buy a $5 International calling card near you? We buy them all the time when calling Italy. We try not to use our home phone (way too expensive). Give them a call, perhaps they will take the card over the phone instead of an unsecured website.

I had decided to go ahead and cancel my Florence & Pisa since no one here wanted to be on a bus for 2 1/2 hours. I was willing to do the VIP Pisa or Pisa only tour but nothing has been available since Friday evening - or Pisa had no morning available. Just now while cancelling - I checked again and there was availability for the morning in Pisa. I took it for now. I feel much better already. I can always cancel if I decide to go a different route.

Hi Anna,

That's great advice about an International calling card.

Congrats on getting the morning Pisa tour! We're currently booked for a morning Pisa DCL tour, too. However, we're exploring the possibility of sharing a private tour to Florence and Pisa on our 7/7/07 Med cruise because we really do want to see the Statue of David, also. Our children are adults, so they'd be fine on the longer rides, plus I've heard that the trip doesn't take as long in a private car or van. So much to do... so little time!

 

[AnnaS]

Thank you Deb. I don't want to get too off topic here

believe it or not my "kids" are 21, 19 and 14. My 21 says he would rather stay on the ship than sit for a total of 7 hours in one day (even though he has no problem with Rome - go figure) and my 19 yr. old was in Italy last year with his high school. He had warned me that also on his tour, he got to see nothing.

Private is usually better. Even if the money is the same or more , you get more time and more personal service. We have done some private tours before when cruising w/DCL.

 

[kdepolo]

We are signed up for the Florence/Pisa tour, but I have concerns based on the reviews from the first set of cruisers. Has anyone heard any subsequent reviews from the 6/6 cruise? Can anyone recommend a tour company for Florence? I checked with prestigerent, but they seemed quite high for a group of four.

I'm looking for some btdt advise.

thanks in advance