Percy

Hi Everyone:

Six of us will do doing a 12 day Mediterranean Cruise on the Grand Princess in October.

I am trying to avoid taking tours from the ship with their large crowds and large buses.

We would like to hire a private tour guide/minivan for 6 people in each of the following ports:

Livorno
Naples
Istanbul
Marseille France

Thank You very much

Percy

jacketwatch

When we were in Livorno and Naples it was a snap to do a deal with one of the many private operators waiting on the docks. It helps to know what you want to see but that takes only a bit of research. We had no trouble doing it this way though as there were 3 of us all we needed was a cab. However I am sure there will be minivans in abundance. In Livorno we paid a cab $300.00 and what we got was a trip to Florence and Piza. However that was 2002 when the $$ was stronger and gas prices were much less. Have fun.

abram

In Naples, we used and were very happy with Giovanni from www.tourofitaly.com for a day on the Amalfi coast.

In 2004, for a full day in a van that help 6 comfortably, we paid 300 Euro.

SUNSHINE1223

Last year we used www.driversinrome.com and were very happy. We booked far enough in advance to get the 2004 prices in 2005. We had a great time using them in Rome, Florence and Naples. Well worth it since we saw more than the cruise line would offer and at alot less money.

Percy

Thank you very much jacketwatch and

abram and SUNSHINE 1223

I will write to the people you mentioned.

And also where we cannot get a private guide we will do what jacketwatch has said !

Thanks


Percy

jacketwatch

Thank you Percy. It sounds like you are ready. I hope your group has a great time. We especially liked Naples. The view from the hills looking down on the bay is unforgettable. We toured Pompei BTW and that too is unforgettable. Bon Voyage. Larry

BRIALL

going on a cruise this October 16.. Hubby and I were wondering if anyone has gone on a tour of Istanbul other than with the cruise shore excursion. We will be on Celebrity's Galaxy. Also can you walk to the grand bazaar from the cruise ship as we will only have limited time at the bazaar--the next day is a Sunday and it is closed--Please help--Thanks

Percy

Thanks Larry

Your help is much apperciated.

BRIALL,I also am looking for a private tour guide for Istanbul.

If I get one I will let you know.

Thanks again Larry

Percy

jslcruiser

Hi, Percy:

I just saw your post and think we may be on the same cruise. Are you sailing on 10/7/06? Have you checked cruisecritic.com? We have about twenty 10/7 Grand Princess cruisers signed on to our roll call and would love to have you join us. If you would like to check it out, the website is http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=216809

Percy

jslcruiser:

Yes, I am sailing on October 7th from Venice on the Grand Princess.

We are coming into Venice 3 days earlier so we can see much of this beautiful place.

There are six of us .

We have private tour guides booked for Venice
Athens
Naples
Rome( Civitavecchia)
Livorno( Florence ,Pisa)

I just received a reply from a lady tour guide in Mykonos and she told me that, "You do not need a guide for Mykonos".
That was nice an honest of her...she does Greek Island Tours.

At Marseilles,France ,I think we will just get as minivan at the dock.

But we are staying an extra full day in Barcelona ( our final port) and we have a private tour guide booked.

These are all English speaking guides.

I also am getting tickets in advance to all the places I want to visit...to avoid the long line-ups.

I want to climb the Leaning Tower of Pisa...so I need a ticket..even then they may not let me....they change the rules from month to month!!!

You can avoid the line-ups for getting tickets but the line up you cannot avoid is the security line..the police check everyone going into the Coliseum in Rome ,for example.!


I am working on Istanbul now...got to get a private tour guide there.

(I have no leads Boo Hoo !!!!)

Okay , I am stupid !!! what is a roll call.

Take Care hope I bump into you on the ship.
Percy

autotraveler

Hello Percy: I have used the following for private tours. Livorno- Oct. 2004- Fabrizio Colombaioni, Email: [email protected], Website: www.colombaioni.it/eng/tours.html. I told Fabrizio that I wanted him to take our group of 6 on a full day tour to Pisa to climb the tower, to Lucca for a city tour , & then to the mountains to a private farm to learn about olive oil production. He arranged for us to have lunch at the farm. We insisted that he join us & we had a great time with wonderful food. I highly recommend him. Naples- also Oct. 2004-This day there were 12 of us. I requested Renato Cuomo of Limousine Service Sorrento to arrange a full day tour of Pompeii (I suggest having Renato hire a special guide for Pompeii, which was about $100 extra, or you will get very little out of just walking around Pompeii), the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento & Positano. Our driver/guide suggested a restaurant off of the main street in Sorrento, which was uncrowded and had very good pizzas. This was a very full day, and we probably should have saved Positano for another time. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.carsorrento.it OR www.cuomonet.it. Istanbul-Dec. 2002-I used www.bookinturkey.com . Be sure to click on English in the upper left corner. I didn't use them for Istanbul, which we did on our own, but I'm sure they can help there, too. I wanted a 3 day/2 night private tour to Cappadocia from Ankara. They arranged one in a private car with a driver/guide who is a University professor. He picked us up at a hotel in Ankara and took us on a short city tour & to a museum before driving us to Cappadocia. The hotels were First Class, with all of the meals included. BookinTurkey also helped me with a special request to forward my Istanbul-Ankara airline tickets to me in the U.S. I hope this helps you.

Percy

Thanks autotraveler:

I will look into that site for Istanbul.

We are getting off the cruise ship from 8 AM to 6 PM and our group would prefer a private guide tour rather than the convention large bus group off the cruise ship.

Once again Thank You for your help,it is much appreciated

Percy

BRIALL

Hi Percy--My husband & I are also going on a cruise in Oct. to Istanbul. I have found a tour company that I have been corresponding with--her name is Jenny--email is [email protected]--her correspondence appears to be very professional & courteous and I think we will book her for our tour in Istanbul & Esphesus.
Has anyone heard bad of this agency? If you go with Jenny--let her know that Teresa travelling on Celebrity's Galaxy recommended you---Let me know who you choose--THANKS

Percy

BRIALL:

Is that the correct e-mail address wit the -- her at the end after the .com!

[email protected]--her
or
should I just leave the --her out.

Thanks , amd I will e-mail her and tell her that you sent me over.

Take Care

Percy

BRIALL

Percy--leave out the her
[email protected]
My computer highlighted the her for some reason--let me know how you make out--BRIALL

Percy

BRIALL

I sent that e-mail to
[email protected]

and it was returned due "connection refused."

Do you have another e-mail address for her

Thanks
Percy

BRIALL

percy--it is
[email protected]
I believe you left out the L in EKOL.
Give it another try--BRIALL

Percy

Thanks BRIALL I will try again and let you know if I get a reply


Thanks

Percy

indycruise8

Don't know if you already have your guides, we just got back from the Brilliance and used DriveAmalfi.com -
Salvatore Lucibello. He was great! We did the Amalfi Coast, the town of Amalfi and Ravello, and had a great lunch with table waiting for us. I would highly recommend him, he had an 8 passenger very new clean van (Mercedes maybe?) - excellent!

Percy

Thanks indycruise8

I have private guides now for all my ports of call.

Istanbul and Kusadasi was my last hold out but I have this all booked now.

Thank you very much for your reply after you returned from your cruise.

Percy