downtownbrown

I'll probably post this in the lounge, too.

Three couples hired Positano Car Service for a driver to take us from Positano to Amalfi, Ravello, Pompeii and back to Positano. We were told the trip would be about 6-7 hours, and they'd set us up with a guide at Pompeii for a separate charge paid to the guide.

Not counting the guide's fee, we paid the equivalent of about $80/person for the day, which we thought was a reasonable price.

We thoroughly enjoyed the day, and the driver was courteous and helpful, and showed us some interesting sights along the way. The guide at Pompeii was very good and entertaining. So far, so good.

Now, on the way to Pompeii, the driver asked if we wanted to stop at a small local pottery factory for a tour. He said he knew the owners, and they'd be happy to show us around. We said yes, and we enjoyed that, too. (I don't think anyone bought anything.) On the way back, he said he had a friend who owned a custom woodworking shop (inlay tables, jewelry boxes, etc.), and again asked if we wanted to stop, We did, and the owner gave us a nice tour and demonstrated the handmade inlay process. We liked that, too. The driver was very upfront about the fact that he knew the owners of both places, but that we should not feel obligated to buy anything.

When we arrived back at the house we were renting, after more than 8 hours, the driver got a call from his office, asking for his location. He told them, and then got off the phone and said, "My boss says the tour ran longer than contracted for, and that you owe an extra 50 euros (total, not per couple)."

Hmmm. We considered that the tour ran longer than expected because of the 2 extra stops. Now, he did ask us if we wanted to stop, and we could have said no. But of course, neither did anyone inform us that if we ran over, it would cost more.

We considered: We did enjoy the two stops, and we did have a choice. Should we pay? In the end we did, because it only amounted to the equivalent of about $20/couple, and we had no complaints about the service.

I'm thinking about emailing the ownership to tell them we liked the tour, but that their unexpected charge was a bit suspect.

What do you think abou the whole situation?

nytraveler

I think that the trip lasted longer than scheduled with stops that you agreed to and that the extra 50 euros was a very reasonable charge.

If you didn't want to stop - and if you didn't buy anything, not sure why you wanted to - you could have said no. I think expecting extra stops for no extra charge was naive - esp since you didn't buy anything. (If you had bought some things and the driver had gotten his cut you might well not have been charged extra.)

nytraveler

Think of it this way. If you go into a restaurant and order a fixed price meal, then the owner asks if you want another course, or a special dessert or something - you wouldn;t expect to get it for free would you?

downtownbrown

nyt: That's sort of the premise we were operating on, which is why we paid.

Of course, there would have been a tipping point at which we would have said no. For instance, if he had announced it was an extra $100/couple.

$20 a couple did seem reasonable, and if it was all a scam, I've paid more for less.

annhig

of course it's a scam - if it was all above board, he'd had told you before adding the extra visits that it might mean going over time and therefore incur an extra charge.

did he tell you how the $50 was calculated? i suspect not.

sounds to me as if this extra charge was pitched exactly right - not too high to frighten you off or incense you, but not so low as to make it ridiculous. we are, after all, talking about Italy, where "opportunismo" rules. [that's not just what i think - i was introduced to the concept by my italian teacher during the language course i did in Tuscany last year - we spent a whole morning talking about it].

don't waste your time sending them an e-mail - just remember to ask if there will be an extra charge if this sort of thing crops up again.

downtownbrown

"did he tell you how the $50 was calculated? i suspect not"
Yes, he told us it was for the extra time. I thought I said that in the OP.

"don't waste your time sending them an e-mail"
My time is somewhat valuable, but not that valuable. Certainly, it'll take less time than posting on Fodor's. And what do I have to lose?

annhig

"did he tell you how the $50 was calculated? i suspect not"
Yes, he told us it was for the extra time. I thought I said that in the OP.>>

but how much per hour? how was the original price calculated?

anyway, if you're so happy about it, why come here and ask the question?

downtownbrown

Relax, ann. Suggest decaf tea.

ira

Hey dtb,

You were taken.

However, since you did enjoy the extra visits and, since the cost was fairly low, fuggedaboudit.




I had a guide do this to me in Cairo.

He told me how much better he had treated me than the usual customer and that I should give him an extra $10 (whatever the amount was in the local currency).

I told him that we had an agreement at his asking price, and refused to give him anything extra.

However, because it had been a very nice tour, I gave him a $10 tip.

Rubicund

This was a scam. It's all very well saying that you opted for the extra stops and therefore it's your fault, but it should have been made very clear that if you did run over time, then they'd sting you for some extra $$$. If they didn't mention it, I would not have paid it.

It's one of these:

Even though the office phoned, they didn't tell him to charge you--extra was for driver.
Driver was on a commission if you had bought anything at the stops and you didn't--hence charge
Driver is one of the family/owners of the firm--routine scam

Depending on which one is nearest to the truth, a complaint may or may not work, but I'd still complain and mention that it's on Fodors. The worst thing for them is bad publicity, especially when they know that the majority of their customers are US based.