Rome Underground Catacombs and Crypts

The tour company contacted us two days before by text asking to switch from July 5 to July 4. We did this and the pick up was fine but the driver did not give us any information about where we were going or how it would work once we were in the van. He spoke minimal English, which is fine but we were not sure about what we were supposed to do. We arrived at the first catacombs and he bought our tickets and sent us to the English tour guide. Then after that to the second. The tours themselves were fine but they were done by the catacombs, not the tour company(which is always appealing) but there were no lines to skip. It was basically a ride from one place to the other. Save your money and take a taxi.

Firstly, I am an owner of a Travel Agency in Calgary Alberta Canada and had the "Rome Underground Catacombs and Crypts" tour booked for Sept. 23/2019 with my mother of 82 yrs of age. This was her gift from me for her birthday.........a trip to Italy. My tour pickup was confirmed on my voucher for 2 pm pickup. My prepaid voucher included: Hotel pickup / drop off, Skip the line, entry/admission to ALL four Catacombs including 1.) Catacombe San Sebastiano 2.) Catacombe di Santa Domitilla 3.) Catacombe di Priscilla 4.) Catacombe di San Callisto. I was emailed at 03:39 as well 03:41 a.m. local time the day of my tour advising my pickup time was 2:30 pm. Well if my tour was supposed to start at 2 pm on my voucher, naturally I had my concierge at the Palazzo Naiadi, The Anthology, Autograph Collection call Romaetravel number on my voucher on my behalf questioning how my pickup could be after my start tour time? I was advised by Romaetravel that my pickup was 2:30 pm. NO options provided, I accepted what was advised. Their driver did not show up at the NEW advised time. I had my hotel concierge call again, and she was told the driver was running late and he was on his way. The driver finally showed up at 2:50 p.m., very late! Another couple in the vehicle in which he obviously picked up prior to. We arrived at the first Catacombe San Sebastiano at 3:15 pm. Again late! Dropped off at the front entrance with NO instructions/directions on where to go and with whom and provided an entrance ticket only, my mother of 82 yrs. and myself randomly entered into darkness not knowing where to go, found a group of 24 people already into a tour. We asked if we could join and the gentleman said of course we were welcomed. After, this Catacombe, the driver proceeded to the next Catacombe..............drove right past the next two on our the list?!? I questioned why he was not stopping and was advised they closed at 4 pm and we were not seeing the next two on the list as it was too late! I told him it was on my voucher and had we'd been picked up at 1:30 for 2 pm instead of 2:50 pm, we would have had the time and seen what was paid for! He said he was only the driver and didn't know anything. Well now we went straight to the last Catacombe di San Callisto and arrived at 4:30 pm, again late! And this one closed at 5 pm. I had the driver screenshot my voucher and send it to Romaetravel and demanded the services I had prepaid for! I had the driver also call them while we were on the tour and also spoke with Patricia of Romaetravel on the drivers phone demanding I get the services paid for. I was told no and that if I looked on trip advisor I would see the two Catacombe's were not included? I told her I didn't book on trip advisor for starters and secondly I had a prepaid voucher clearly confirming WHAT WAS INCLUDED!!! I am now fighting as a travel agent and owner to now get my money back as I refuse to pay for a product/service that WAS NOT PROVIDED with ROMAETRAVEL!!! I will make sure this travel company is exposed for the lying cheating company they actually are in hopes NO other person has the experience I as well my mother experienced first hand. DO NOT BOOK ANYTHING WITH ROMAETRAVEL!!!

We appreciated being picked up and driven out to the catacombs we toured. The first tour through San Callisto was.fascinating and well narrated. The walking is not always easy, and one woman in our group struggled valiantly to the end. Our knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide tended not to wait for the group to reassemble before starting his next narration, and that was a bit frustrating. We don’t know what we missed. Perhaps you can incorporate the tour technology we experienced today in the Vatican where our guide spoke into a headset, and we could hear her wherever we were.