F.A.Q.: Frequently Asked Questions
1 - I 've been told that the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel is closed on Sundays, does that mean you'll arrange to take us elsewhere in Rome since the Vatican tour will be unavailable?
The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel are closed every Sunday except the last Sunday of the month. The Basilica of St.Peter's is always open so you will be able to visit it and if you are lucky you might be able to see the Pope at noon when he gives his Blessing. When the Vatican museum is closed it will be replaced with a visit to the catacombs or along the Ancient Appian Way or something else you would like to see. All of our tours are very flexible, therefore we can customize your tour to your complete satisfaction.
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2 - What is the difference between a tour guide and a driver-guide?
For those of you who are booking private tours for the first time, perhaps a little clarification would help. A tour driver and a tour guide are not the same thing. It is to your advantage when booking a private tour to be sure that you understand the difference and know in advance what you are paying for. A tour guide has a license (usually issued by the state / country). He/she has attended a "guide" school to learn all about the historical sites that you will see and visit. A guide is allowed to enter the historical sites with you and narrate the history of whatever you are visiting. Naturally, a licensed guide's service will cost more.
A driver-guide is not licensed as a guide and has not attended "guide" school. He/she is not allowed inside the site to narrate the history of the sites. Of course, their services are more economical. Many drivers are just as well versed in the area history as the guides. The difference is that they will tell you the facts of interest before letting you go inside to visit the site.
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3 - What is the difference between a tour guide and a tour escort with bus with over 8 passengers?
We offer two different services that of course are quoted differently:
a) bus with driver and tour guide. A tour guide has a license (usually issued by the state / country). He/she has attended "guide" school to learn all about the sites that you visit. A licensed tour guide is allowed to enter and narrate the historical sites with you and tell you the history. Naturally, their services will cost more.
b) Bus with driver and tour escort guide which is training to be a guide but does not yet have the license.
Honestly, their services are most requested since they study a lot and most of them are still at school. They give you more or less the same information that the professional guides do.They speak English and are well mannered, however due to strict Italian laws & regulations that protect officially licensed guides, our tour escorts and driving-guides can explain the sights only from inside the vehicle but are not allowed to do so once they are outside the vehicle.Their services cost less than a licensed tour guide.
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4 - If we book with Bob's Limousines & Tours do we need to wait in line to purchase tickets at the Vatican/Sistine Chapel or will that all be prearranged? If not, how long do you expect lines to be?
Having a guide booked for the VATICAN MUSEUM and SISTINE CHAPEL does NOT always mean you can avoid the line. There is no such thing and do not believe any one promising you this. For those that are not aware, in order to visit the Sistine Chapel you must walk through the entire Vatican museum .Please keep in mind that the Museum closes on Saturdays at 12:20 pm, this means that the queues are long all day so we do not recommend to visit on this particular day. However, if this is the only day you will be in Rome and you really want to visit the museum we'll do our best to get you in. The museum is closed on Sundays except the last Sunday of the month when the ticket is free. You know what this means? longer lines then any other days!. Forget about visiting on this day unless you get in line at 8:00 am hoping to be in by 11:00 am. If you visit on Wednesdays during the Papal audience there should be a very short line because many are at the Papal audience... if you show up after 11:00 am just forget about it!
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5 - How do i make a reservation with Bob's Limousines & Tours Ltd?
If you wish to secure a reservation with Bob's Limousines & Tours Ltd. provide us with your credit card information and telephone number. Payments can be made in Euro, U.S. Dollars, Traveller's cheques, at the end of each service. We also accept Visa- Mastercard or American Express. The credit card is used to guaranty your reservation and will be charged only after completion of each service or for "No-Shows". Once we have received your reservation form we will e- mail you a confirmation of your booking.
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6 - Cancellation policy
Contract
Bob's Limousine & Tour Ltd will not be held liable for missed flights due to airline decisions to cancel flights or for damaged luggage due to client's choice of vehicle size. Bob's Limousine & Tour Ltd service and its chauffeurs reserve the right to refuse any passenger who has excess luggage which would result in the car being unsafe (Please make sure you choose and book the appropriate vehicle type if you have more luggage, for example preferring a mini-van instead of sedan).
Waiting time
1. Our rates for Airport "Meet & Greet service" includes a 60 minute waiting time after the flight has officially landed and parking fees. An extra cost of 25.00 euro per hour will be charged for waiting time for sedans and 35.00 euro per hour for minivans or mini-buses.
2. If we are picking you up from pick up locations for a transfer to the airport and you keep our chauffeur waiting more than 15 minutes, a surcharge for the waiting time will apply. Our fare will change if you request our chauffeur to provide stops or other pick-ups on the way. Please ask our office or your chauffeur for the extra charge that could incurr. Rates may change ONLY if the passenger requests the chauffeur to wait or do extra stops or pickups.
Cancellation
There will be a full charge for booking cancelled with less than 48 hour notice for any service required. If you miss your flight or if your airline decides to cancel the flight due to bad weather or if your flight is directed to another airport on arrival, please advise us on time (as soon as you know ) or a full charge will be made. Please give us enough time so we can accept other reservations and allocate them to our chauffeurs . If the ship does not make it to the pier due to severe weather conditions you will not be considered responsible and therefore NO CHARGES will be made to your credit card although a FULL CHARGE will be made for "NO SHOWS" without cancellations 48 hrs prior to each service by e-mail or via fax.
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7 - I booked a transfer from the airport. Where should I meet my driver?
Once you have collected your luggage and cleared custom and entered the amin hall of the airport you will see our driver with a sign with the name that is on your confirmation. It normally takes between 40-50 minutes from the moment your flight touches down that you should meet you driver. If you notice it is taking longer to retreive you luggage, please call us Toll Free from any airport phone dialing 800.642.680 (no coins or cards needed).
You can avoid making calls, if you prefer, by asking the customs police officer to let you come out for a second to advise your driver that you have arrived and need more time. If we or the driver do not hear from you he may decide not to wait longer than one hour. After that 1 hour, extra time charges will apply. Please remember that drivers are not allowed in the baggage claim area.
If you experience a long delay, please contact us at one of the numbers provided above . If we do not hear from you may be charged for the time we have to wait for you at the airport. If you miss your flight or your flight was cancelled and we do not hear from you, you will be charged for the full amount of your transfer (and tour if requested).
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8 - I booked a transfer (or tour) from the dock. Where should I meet my driver?
Meeting your driver at one of the docks in Italy for a transfer or for a tour is almost the same as the airport. The difference is that there will be thousands of people getting off at the same time and you will see that it's probably very caotic. Cars, mini-vans, mini-buses and big coach buses will be there waiting for passengers, so it's not always easy for our vehicles to get in close. In any case, your driver will have a sign with your name when you come through the exit, so you should be able to spot him quickly. Up to last year there were no phones near the ship's exit area. So, if you do not locate your driver, it could be necessary to ask someone of the ship's personnell (or one of the many drivers) to use their cell phone to make a Toll Free call to our office call so we can help you locate your driver.
If you need more info or have any sort of complaint please feel free to contact our offices at bob@romelimousines.com or by calling us Toll Free from the U.S. & Canada dialing: 1-877-666-BOBS or when in Italy by dialing Toll Free 800.642.680. Rome office nrs. (+39.) 06..575.6262- Fax (+39) 06.573.000.74.
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