Trip to Italy

[Minnesotalyn]

My husband & I are planning to travel to Italy in the next 2 years. We' re looking into some of the tour groups, Trafalgar, Globus, Perillo's. Not planning on going on our own. Has anyone used any of these or someone else & what were your views good or bad? Did you book through the tour company or do it though a travel agency? :read:

[buggyone]

I have heard good things about Globus. No first hand experience, though.

I would NOT recommend Legendary Journeys. They put us up in a tourist hotel that they said was a 3 star hotel. Very poor service. Some of the group had signed up for - and paid for - optional tours to some farm area. Due to flooding, the roads in that area were closed and the tours were cancelled which is reasonable. Legendary Journeys would not refund the optional tour costs and just said the people could try and collect from their travel insurance after they got home.

[manaboutown]

Doesn't this thread belong in The Travel Forum?

[chachacha]

i am taking a Gate 1 tour this winter which i found the most reasonable of all, although it does not include any dinners...since i have been to all the cities before and have some favorite restaurants that did not pose a problem for me, but it should not for anyone as while you are sightseeing it is fun to just pop into a place that looks interesting rather than worrying about getting back to your hotel for a preplanned dinner. have read good reviews of their trips and also some good comments from friends. hoping for the best! have also traveled with Go Ahead Tours and been satisfied but they are a bit more expensive than Gate 1. since i do not drink wine i am not impressed by paying for dinners that include wine, which most tour dinners do. i am sure perillo is luxury all the way but quite pricey. different strokes for different folks, right? :) took a globus tour while living in spain and did not like it very much...research the locations of your hotels as that can make all the difference. way out of the center robs you of precious time getting back and forth, as well as possible pick pocketing in subways, etc. central location is safest and best.

[chachacha]

forgot to mention that although one can book directly from the website, i booked through Theresa Odom at Expedia Cruise Ship Centers 352-751-5160 ext 412. it costs the same and if there are any problems you have someone to help you. she has been great!

[Bonny]

Also look into Tauck tours.

[swrinfla]

First of all, I must acknowledge that I left the travel business in mid-2002, so some things may well have changed.

That said, here are a few thoughts:

* Trafalgar: well thought of; moderately priced; good itineraries; decent lodgings. Neighbors of mine just took one of their European trips and have been raving.

* Globus: generally well thought of; generally on the inexpensive side; good itineraries; hotels may be away from the town center, not necessarily a Good Thing, especially in Europe; in the business for seemingly forever.

* Petrillo: has a very well-established reputation; specializes in Italy; good itineraries; good lodgings; that said, I've heard some say "They've gotten complacent!"

* Gate One: low-price reputation; the agency I worked in for nearly 20 years never booked them.

* Tauck: One of the best tour companies going, for domestic (i.e., within North America) especially, but also world-wide; brochures carry some high degree of sticker shock, but they end up being worth every penny.

As with all traveling, you've got to weigh the costs against the benefits! On an international tour, you must be prepared to deal with the inevitable language difficulties (a good tour's director knows how to cope); to deal with the probable different standards that you may have with respect to hotels; etc. And, you must include your personal comfort level with the "foreign/strange" or "first-class/third-class.)

Whatever, have fun and take lots of pictures!

SWR
:beer3:

[VICAR OF DIBLEY]

Globus has an excellent tours in Italy. I hear nothing but rave reviews about them.

If you have any questions please ask them. Have you decided what you want to do in Italy, and where you want to go?

We have been to Italy a couple of times, I think whatever you decide to do, will be great.

[OnTheMoveFromMi]

My husband & I are planning to travel to Italy in the next 2 years. We' re looking into some of the tour groups, Trafalgar, Globus, Perillo's. Not planning on going on our own. Has anyone used any of these or someone else & what were your views good or bad? Did you book through the tour company or do it though a travel agency? :read:

Hi There:

My Mom has taken multiple trips all over the world with Collette Travel and has always been pleased with their service. In 2010 she took our 21 yro daughter on a 13 day trip to Italy thru Collette and they LOVED it (went in July and it was super hot so she doesn't recommend that time of year).

They aren't cheap trips but has been worth the money. Hope that helps and happy travel planning!

S. Clark

[JP]

Also look into Tauck tours.

I agree. Tauck is great. We have used them on several trips and you get treated like royalty and EVERYTHING is included. The avitar is a picture in Tunisia on a Tauck tour when we were at a fantastic persian rug shop.

[cab1948]

Isn't it exciting planning for such a trip! My husband and I are also planning on going to Italy in the next few years. I have brochures from all the companies mentioned so far. Also, I went to AAA. They deal with Trafalgar and some other tour companies. It is nice to have someone you can talk to face to face. Since we've never been there, we just want to go to Rome, Florence and Venice with a few side trips. We had friends who did a Trafalgar tour and they loved it. Good luck!

[CFrance]

Isn't it exciting planning for such a trip! My husband and I are also planning on going to Italy in the next few years. I have brochures from all the companies mentioned so far. Also, I went to AAA. They deal with Trafalgar and some other tour companies. It is nice to have someone you can talk to face to face. Since we've never been there, we just want to go to Rome, Florence and Venice with a few side trips. We had friends who did a Trafalgar tour and they loved it. Good luck!

Along with the Big Three, suggest adding some of the hill towns of Tuscany. They will blow you away.

[chachacha]

my favorite area of italy is the lake como region but since i am going in winter this time am not going there. one can get a b&b centrally located on the lake and take ferries each day to different lovely villages to peruse. very relaxing. so much to see, so little time!

[CFrance]

my favorite area of italy is the lake como region but since i am going in winter this time am not going there. one can get a b&b centrally located on the lake and take ferries each day to different lovely villages to peruse. very relaxing. so much to see, so little time!

Chachacha, I've always wanted to go to Italy in the winter. We've been there in spring and fall, and my favorite time between those two is definitely fall.

But tell us what you will be doing and where you'll be going in the winter! I can't get DH to go in winter. He's afraid we'll slip in the ice on those hills.

[Minnesotalyn]

We're planning a 2 week trip all over because I don't know if we'll get back there. I'll look into the other ones you gave me. Thanks:thumbup:

[duffysmom]

We will be touring the lake district this fall, then we'll board a cruise ship in Venice that stops in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and ends up in Ft. Lauderdale. I'm getting too old to schlep luggage. I unpack only once on the ship and that's it and I love having a home away from home.

You can never go wrong with a trip to Italy. Have fun...

[cab1948]

duffysmom, can I ask what cruise line you are going to be on? It sounds like a wonderful way to get home.

[chachacha]

But tell us what you will be doing and where you'll be going in the winter! I can't get DH to go in winter. He's afraid we'll slip in the ice on those hills.[/QUOTE]

i spent three months in rome before i bought my home here, nov, dec, jan and the weather was no problem...up in venice and florence it would be a little chillier but nothing unbearable (i was living in north dakota at that time so it was lovely to me) bought an extra sweat shirt in siena but really, no ice or anything like that in january! of course everything is more beautiful in summer but the christmas decorations and concerts are a plus in that season. piazza navona in rome is alive with little bufane (witches who bring the presents) in all shapes and sizes...i even got to go to midnight mass at st peter's... and the nativity scenes in all the churches are lovely....fewer crowds, shorter lines, many pluses to going in winter....and no blisters from walking in the heat :)

[duffysmom]

duffysmom, can I ask what cruise line you are going to be on? It sounds like a wonderful way to get home.

cab, the cruise I'm taking is on Princess but all the big cruise lines have them. . There are many transatlantics (repositioning) in the Spring and Fall. In the Fall the ships are returning from Europe and in the Spring they go back to Europe. Go to an online travel agent like travelosity.com and do a search for transatlantics and you will see dozens of them, they are usually cheaper than Caribbean cruises but you have to factor in airfare. Some have many stops in different countries and some only a couple. Usually you have 6 to 7 days out at sea for the crossing. Crossings are fun with lots of activities or if you like to read and relax you can do that to. You get a tremendous bang for your buck. First class ship, meals, stateroom, activities, lectures, entertainment every night. Actually TV is like a cruise ship on land.:D:D

[Houselover]

My husband & I are planning to travel to Italy in the next 2 years. We' re looking into some of the tour groups, Trafalgar, Globus, Perillo's. Not planning on going on our own. Has anyone used any of these or someone else & what were your views good or bad? Did you book through the tour company or do it though a travel agency? :read:

We have been to Italy twice in the last 5 years and used Grand European both times.. We had excellent lead tour guides as well as local guides in the various cities we visited. The hotels and meals very good..We are going back to Italy in 2014 and will use them again..Go to GETOURS.COM...

[NJblue]

We recently toured Germany, Austria and Switzerland with Insight tours. We selected them because they use busses with only 40 people in them, giving substantially more legroom. The hotels, however, were spotty. They claimed 4-star hotels and for the most part they delivered. However, some of the rooms were very small. Most of our fellow travelers were repeat customers who swear by Insight. If you have long legs, it may be important to you to consider a company that gives you extra legroom.

There are advantages traveling this way, but cost is not one of them. In the future we will either rent a car or pack very light and use trains. I calculated our per-day cost to be over $800 per day after meals and optional tours were factored in.

[Madelaine Amee]

We are leaving this coming week on a European repositioning cruise. Fly to Italy and cruise back to Ft. Lauderdale. Been on the waiting list for a year, yes a year and heard just a month ago that we had a cabin. So if you want a repositioning cruise you had better book now for this time next year.

[duffysmom]

We are leaving this coming week on a European repositioning cruise. Fly to Italy and cruise back to Ft. Lauderdale. Been on the waiting list for a year, yes a year and heard just a month ago that we had a cabin. So if you want a repositioning cruise you had better book now for this time next year.

Are you sailing on Princess out of Venice?

[l2ridehd]

Italy is a great vacation with lots to see, wonderful food and wine, and great sights. Our last trip we rented a villa in Tuscany and rented a car and did day trips all around the region. Will probably do the same thing next trip except someplace on the East coast. Still need to do the lake Como area as well. I like this venue much better then a tour group. Now we are fortunate that my better half speaks Italian to a degree that gets us everything needed. Directions, information, places to see, etc.

[Madelaine Amee]

Are you sailing on Princess out of Venice?

Yes.

[Raen Dear]

We had good luck with Trafalgar but they do add on "extra" day trips to see things you want to see, i.e., Michaelangelo's David was not on the regular itinerary. Still, it was a pleasant trip with good accommodations and the food of course was great.

I did Northern Italy with Road Scholar and really enjoyed the trip. I've done several Road Scholar trips and liked them all. I especially like the fellow travelers on RS tours, all well read, friendly, and ready to enjoy the experience. Not usually big complainers. The guides are always knowledgable and there is usually ample off time for your own exploration.

[OldManTime]

My husband & I are planning to travel to Italy in the next 2 years. We' re looking into some of the tour groups, Trafalgar, Globus, Perillo's. Not planning on going on our own. Has anyone used any of these or someone else & what were your views good or bad? Did you book through the tour company or do it though a travel agency? :read:

I have been to Italy about 6 times now, visited 50 towns and cities, I will not use a tour as they will steer you to where they want you to see, and take you places to shop, where side deals are always made. I make all my own reservations, all bookings all bus and train, no taxi's, and typically tour with the natives for 4 weeks each time.
Ciao

[Snowbird13]

My husband & I are planning to travel to Italy in the next 2 years. We' re looking into some of the tour groups, Trafalgar, Globus, Perillo's. Not planning on going on our own. Has anyone used any of these or someone else & what were your views good or bad? Did you book through the tour company or do it though a travel agency? :read:

I took a 17 day tour with Insight Vacations to Italy and Sicily in September. I booked through an on-line tour company, Affordabletours.com. I had a great time and would recommend this trip and the company. We had a great tour guide and we stayed in good hotels that were centrally located. If you want to talk with me, let me know and I will send you my phone number.

[teamC]

We used Perillo for Italy (7 years ago) and were so satisfied that we used them 4 years ago for Hawaii (since no matter how hard I tried I could not find cheaper prices for multiple islands with inter-island flights in Hawaii on my own). They use great hotels, good restaurants & are extremely accommodating. My friend's husband got sick & had to be hospitalized in Italy during a tour-Perillo called my friend everyday and updated passengers on the trip daily with his condition & diagnosis (since some people were naturally concerned if he was contagious). They also found my friend temporary accomodations in Rome and picked up and dropped off her luggage at the rental. They arranged return flight weeks later & also followed up with a letter when they returned home.

They are also very flexible. When you book with them you can fly over with a tour-leave the tour for up to thirty days and fly back with another tour (as long as you leave from a tour city). This allows you to stay in Europe longer & do other things. We love trains, so we chose to leave the tour and book our own train from Venice to Milan-they took our luggage-gave us contact info and hotel address & said enjoy yourselves-we will see you in Milan. At the time, meals included a glass of wine. We never waited on a line-even at the Vatican or Pearl Harbor.

They also offer add on trips of their own which are very reasonable. The mix up the hotels. in one city-they stay at best location, in next city, slightly outside of city center. This was never a problem for us. They tell you hotels they deal with so you can make your own decision.

[jet10s]

can speak from person experience -- Trafalga Tours -- very highly recommended

[JourneyOfLife]

We have taken tours with both Globus and Trafalgar. We had good experiences with both tour operators.

[PennBF]

We were not satisfied with the Royal Princess repositioining and would not use it again.

[CFrance]

We were not satisfied with the Royal Princess repositioining and would not use it again.

Could you state your reasons why you weren't satisfied? We have been considering a Mediterranean repositioning cruise but have never been on a cruise and are concerned about not having enough time in ports.

Mostly we engage in what's known as Slow Travel--basing ourselves in an apartment somewhere so as to shop local ingredients, do some cooking, talk to the natives, etc., and use a rental car to make day trips.

[PennBF]

To clarify my point. We have taken at least 12-15 Transatlantic/Repositioning cruises and this is the only one that was, in our opinion very disappointing. Historically we have used Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and any complaints would be small and not really significant. In the case of the Royal Princess/Princess Lines the problems were broad and made the cruise a total disappoinment. The problems ranged from 3 1/2 hours to board, small balconies, food that was below our standards, not providing adquate transportation thereby forcing the passenger to walk very
long ways to get back to the ship from some excursions, etc.etc. All in all we
decided we would never use the Princess Line again although some really like this line? I could go into more details but this is a summary of why we did not like the cruise and will stay with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. At one time we did use Holland America in Alaska and it was a fine line and good cruise.:ho:

[Bonny]

We also cruise a lot. 50 right now with 2 more booked. We like Royal Caribbean & Celebrity better than the others. All of our big trips, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, etc. we have gone with Celebrity. They do an awesome job !!!

[PennBF]

Bonny, I agree with you. A lot has to do with the ships and the Royal Princess was, in our opinion terrible. I left out that it had one central isle
for a theater for a ship that holds 4,000+ passengers. it had 13 Internet terminals and 1 tech on duty for, again..4,000+ passengers. The seats in the theater were, in our opinion "tight". We had a mini suite which was not cheap and a balcony with a table that took up a major portion of the balcony.When we asked the Cabin Attendant to take table away he had to store it in the Suite as it would not fit through the door to the way outside.
After the table was taken out 2 people could sit on the balcony with a foot stool. They had charged $24.00 a day on the bill for "tips". That's $432.00 for an 18 day cruise. A couple of good things were the music in the Centrim
was good. (4 musician's and a good singer). THey had very good ice cream
available (cones) on the top deck. This was about it..Like any cruise if a person drinks alot they probably have a difference outlook on some things since they are kind of out of it.
As mentioned we really like Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Never been disappointed nor let down.:ho:

[cab1948]

Just booked with Tauck Tours thru AAA and could not be happier. I have met several people who have taken the tour and rave about it. First class all the way. Although it would be fun for some to go on your own and explore, at our age, and without knowing the language we decided to have all the work done for us. They allow plenty of afternoons to explore or relax on your own. Whatever you decide I'm sure you will have a great time.