Portcompass in Rome, anyone used them

[Cinnamon]

We will be in Rome next month on our cruise on Splendour. We have been unable to find anyone to share a private tour with on the 19th June sailing. A private tour on our own would be too costly.

Portcompass have a family group of 20 who have agreed to let us share their tour of Rome at $109 each. It sounds a very comprehensive tour.
Does anyone have experience of this company?
I realise that the driver can make or break a day trip, so each experience may be different.

Cinnamon

 

[lnbh]

While I cannot advise on the tour company I did use to live in Rome. Depending on your mobility you can really walk or take the subway to most everything of interest... (Colosseum, Forum, Capitoline, Palatine, St Peters, Piazza Navona, etc) just make sure you throw a coin in Trevi fountain so that in case you do miss anything - you are sure to return. Rather than spend the money on the tour - spend it on transportation into Rome and a good book (I highly recommend the blue guide series). Just my 2 cents... but then I am passionate about the eternal city....

 

[ncara]

We have a late flight 4 pm- when we dock on August 13th. Can we send our bags ahead or leave them some where so we can spend a few hours in Rome instead of the airport. Any suggestions, don't want to take the ship's organized tour. Have seen everything, just want to wander.

 

[needthesea]

Hi!
I used PortCompass in South America in Feb. & March of 2004. There was genreally 7 of us on a tour. All the guides and their drivers were friendly, spoke good english. And we very knowledgeable of the area we toured. We did 5 tours with them. They were very prompt. And their company requirments is at least a hour before the ships set to leave they have to have you back to the ship. The only issue I had with them I have always used credit cards so I have a way to control how my money is spent. So I make sure it is what I want. They prefer checks. But after I paid they have either changed their requirements or something because I've learned they more readily take credit cards now. The catch is with them they expect you to get a group together and organize the people that will take the tour. So this took some doing using this board and Cruise Critics to get enough people. The age level on that cruise is older. So that caused a bit of a issue getting people for a more physically active tour. Not that we were mountain climbing or doing extrodinary things. Just that we all liked photography. And since we
could instuct the guide to go and do things if we all agreed to the change in the tour was
really a great asset. We had them even pick us up at the airport. Our plane was 2 hours late. They were there waiting. We did our 3 hour tour and then they even helped us check into our hotel. PortCompass hires a sub company to do the actual tours. But they have high standars. I have been in contact with a number of people that have used them. The few negatives any of us have had were outweighed by the positives.
Hope this helps.