We know your time is valuable. So we've created this list of common questions along with relevant responses. In most cases you'll find a quick and comprehensive answer to your question. In case you are not fully satisfied please free to contact us.
1 How can I book your services? Can I book on-line?
2 Are the prices per person?
3 Are tips or gratuity included in your prices?
4 How much is the service quoted in Euro going to be in US Dollars?
5 Are bank wire transfers payments welcome?
6 What is your cancellation policy?
7 Can I book over the telephone?
8 Are phone inquiries welcome?
9 When and till what time are phone calls welcome?
10 There standard pick up locations or times for your services?
11 How long in advance should I be picked up for a departure transfer?
12 How do I get on a train after you drop me off at the station?
13 Are there any dates when your service is not available?
14 What languages do you speak?
15 Can we request a specific driver?
16 I have not received a reply to my emails, what do I do?
17 We have more than 8 people in our party, how can you take care of us?
18 What is the difference between a tour guide and a Driver Guide?
19 What is the difference between a tour guide and a tour escort with bus with over 8 passengers?
20 Where will my chauffeur meet me?
1 - How can I book your services? Can I book on-line?
YES, But since our services are customized, we intentionally don't want that a client may book services which are not suitable to his needs, just on a “click and pay” basis. We want to make sure that what our customers buy is really what they need and nothing more. You can book online directly through our website, going on QUOTE REQUEST, therefore before we let you pay, we’d rather verify your needs and possibly give you advices if our experiences tells us to. Once your plan are finalized we will book the service required.
IMPORTANT: rates quoted include all taxes, vehicle and English speaking driver, tolls, car fuel and parking but exclude lunch, entrance tickets and guides in sites.
Payments can be made in the cash amount in US Dollars or Euros, Traveller’s Checks in Euros or Personal Check in the USD amount ON THE DAY OF THE SERVICE. Your credit card cannot be used as final payment.
NOTE: If you choose to pay in the US Dollar amount, your driver will provide you with the correct conversion rate. The most current exchange rate valid on the day of your service will apply to the correct USD total. Please note that there is also a $0.07 bank fee added to all payments made in the US Dollar amount either by personal check or in the cash amount.
CANCELLATION POLICY
NO DEPOSIT WILL BE CHARGED. Written notice must be received by us via fax/email at least 7 days prior to the date of the reservation, in case of cancellation or any change to a booking. In case of NO SHOW or LATE CANCELLATION (less than 7 days prior to the date of the reservation) there will be a charge of the total quoted price of service/s booked. Gratuities are not mandatory in Italy, however we do feel that if the clients have been happy with their service, the driver should receive a tip as a token of appreciation. Standard gratuities in Europe run between 10 – 25% depending on the service received.
2 - Are the prices per person?
NO. The prices are for the carload, not per person.
3 - Are tips or gratuity included in your prices?
No, Tips in Italy are not mandatory, but it's customary to give them in proportion to the quality of the service received. It's not a fix percentage as it is in many countries such as in the US, we could say it's proportional to how much the service fulfils or exceeds the expectations. So it's not given in case of a mediocre service, it's minimal in case of average and rises from there in a proportion the client decides. It is actually embarrassing to be asked how much tip is owed
4 - How much is the service quoted in Euro going to be in US Dollars?
You can pay with USD Cash, Travellers Checks or with a personal check. The USD rate applied will reflect the exchange rate of that day plus 0,07 USD for bank charges incurred when we exchange them. In other words we charge you the commission that the bank charges us i.e. today exchange rate is: 1.00 EURO (EUR) = 1.45 US DOLLAR (USD) Tour = 500 Euro; Pay by us dollars = 500 x 1.52 = 760 USD.
5 - Are bank wire transfers payments welcome?
Naturally yes. In this case we will email you the bank data necessary for you to process the payment.
6 - What is your cancellation policy?
NO DEPOSIT WILL BE CHARGED . Written notice must by us via fax/email at least 7 days prior to the date of the reservation, in case of cancellation or any change to a booking. In case of NO SHOW or LATE CANCELLATION (less than 7 days prior to the date of the reservation) there will be a charge of the total quoted price of service/s booked. Persico Car Sevice will not be held liable for missed flights. Our drivers have the right to refuse any passenger who has excess luggage which would result in the car being unsafe to drive ,please make sure you book the appropriate type of vehicle. Gratuities are not mandatory in Italy , however we do feel that if the clients have been happy with their service, the driver should receive a tip as a token of appreciation. Payments can be made in Dollars, Euro, traveller cheque or personal cheque ON THE DAY OF THE SERVICE.
7 - Can I book over the telephone?
In case of last minute urgent bookings, we can record all the info pertaining to the booking by phone, this is extremely important especially to make sure no important information is omitted. But we do need the phone call to be followed by immediate payment.
8 - Are phone inquiries welcome?
We invite you to call us in case you are uncertain on what you need. It’s often a lot faster for both you an us to go over certain services by phone rather than emailing back and forth many times. In a 5 minutes phone call we can normally let you understand our service better and we will understand more what you need and want, than emailing back and forth many times for days.
9 - When and till what time are phone calls welcome?
Calls to our office phones are welcome from 10.00am to 7.00pm which is our ordinary operation schedule. There is normally a minimum of 2 staff in the office during office hrs, but since we are a service company in case of emergency there might be nobody in the office even during office hrs, in such cases feel free to contact the mobile emergency number, or sending an e-mail asking to be contacted leaving your phone number. The mobile emergency number is on 24 Hrs a day 7 days a week, but we don’t have personnel on night shifts, therefore we appreciate if you could postpone a non-urgent call to regular hours.
10 - There standard pick up locations or times for your services?
No, we provide only private services, therefore we can pick you up and drop you off wherever and whenever you like. If you are not certain what your hotel or pick up / drop off location will be when you make the booking, we can still accept it but it will be your responsibility to provide this information before the starting time of the service. We will charge in full for any wasted time deriving for failure of our customer to notify us with the relevant information for carrying out the service. Ideally we should be notified of any changed pick up and drop off location at least 24 hrs in advance.
11 - How long in advance should I be picked up for a departure transfer?
Naples Airport NAP Departure Transfer: Pick Ups for Naples airport from Sorrento/Amalfi Coast area should be done 3 hrs 30 min. before the flight (with no traffic the airport is about 1 hr from Sorrento /Amalfi Coast . It is required to report at check in at least 2 hrs before the departure time of the flight) Rome Airport FCO Departure Transfer : Pick Ups for Rome airport should be done 6 hrs before the flight. (with no traffic the airport is about 3hrs 30 min from Sorrento/Amalfi Coast )
Naples Central Station NAPOLI CENTRALE Departure Transfer: Pick Ups for Naples main train station should be done 2 hrs before the train leaves (with no traffic the naples Station is about 1 hr from Sorrento /Amalfi Coast . It is suggested to be there at least 20 minutes before the departure time of the train)
12 - How do I get on a train after you drop me off at the station?
There is no luggage check in on Italian Trains, and trains are not well equipped with luggage storage. Porters are not available on the spot at Naples station. If you are not familiar with our train system, ask for advice to your driver and he will explain you how to handle the train. Time permitting he will park and walk in the station with you to show you how to use the departure board etc, but this cannot be guaranteed, the driver may have another run right after. In case of particular needs or uncertainty, assistance can be booked aside so that either the driver will stay with the passenger till they have boarded the train, or we will provide a separate person to do it.
13 - Are there any dates when your service is not available?
No, we operate 365 days a year, yet on main national holidays we may have shortage of personnel availability, therefore for such dates, early bookings are highly recommended.
14 - What languages do you speak?
All the tours and services provided by Persico Car Service are available in English.
15 - Can we request a specific driver?
We will do our best to guarantee your driver for your requested service. However, there are many things that may change from the moment you book to the day of the service. We schedule the drivers for the service at the beginning of each week and try our best to assign to each client the driver requested. This happens most of the time, but not all the time. Please be reassured that all the drivers used by us are trained to be friendly, informative and safe.
16 - I have not received a reply to my emails, what do I do?
Some email internet providers can mark general emails of “unknown” accounts such as "spam" - please check your spam folder for previous email replies. If you have your spam filter set on the highest ranking, only emails from senders in your address box will go into your inbox. Any other emails (such as replies from internet sites you have booked on) will go into a "spam" folder. These emails can sit in this folder for many days, but eventually your email system may automatically delete them. If in doubt, please call us.
17 - We have more than 8 people in our party, how can you take care of us?
Having operated for years and years, we had the chance to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of travelling with busses versus minivans. Since our activity primarily revolves around the Amalfi Coast, Persico Car Service has decided to owns a fleet that can accommodate from a single passengers to a group of people .But before you request a bus, we advice you read through the following points.
A. Ideal Touring Solution: There are certain areas on the Amalfi Coast which are best visited using small vehicles therefore you may consider dividing your group in 2 or 3 minivans. There are areas where you can also easily use a bus. We will advice case by case what’s best to do depending on your needs and preference, but since the factors involved in such a choice are too many to list them all, if you are interested in evaluating the specific advantages of using multiple minivans versus a bus, you necessarily have to call us and we will competently help you understanding what’s best for you. This type of evaluation would take too long if done by email and would not take into account all the needed factors. Nevertheless in the following point we will give you an idea of what you may want to consider.
B. Less Walking. More Sightseeing, Less Stress and Tiredness: Licensed Limo Service Minivans up to 8 Passengers, per our traffic law are considered equivalent to taxis, can enter all the restricted areas of each city center all throughout Italy, reducing to zero the walking time otherwise required to go from the Bus Pick Up/Drop Off Point to the city centers, and vice versa at each visit. This is HUGE advantage when you go to places like Positano Amalfi and Ravello, where using a Minibus or bigger, passengers would be forced to walk long distances to just reach the center from the drop off point and back for the pickup. This means a lot of saved time therefore more sightseeing within the same number of touring hours.
C. Guidance and Assistance: Persico Car Service as a company has always believed that the best way to tour the Amalfi Coast is indeed with a Driving Guide but in Italy Driving Guides can only drive minivans up to 8 passenger, there are no Driving Guides in this country licensed to drive busses, because for traffic reason is too impractical to be done. A guide needs to follow the group at all times, and while it’s relatively simple to park a minivan, a bus driver due to all the drop off, pick up and parking regulations cannot leave the bus park/unattended near a city center and is forced to stay with the bus at all time (or almost), and could never escort his passengers once they reach a destination.
D. More flexibility: Dividing 10 to 16 people in 2 vehicles, since they may be different families or friends groups with different needs will give more options for each party to do whatever they want without needing to compromise with the rest. For example on a day where the plan was to visit A, B and C, it may be that one minivan would do only A and B and the other B and C making everybody happy.
E. Economy: Cost-wise there is no major advantage in using a Minibus or Bus versus 2 or 3 x Minivans since Minivans don't pay pick up and drop off permits which are charged by most municipalities on the Amalfi Coast, only to Minibus and Busses.
F. Comfort: Minivans are more comfortable and better air conditioned than a Minibus or a Bus and can reach places where Minibus and Busses cannot, or even where certain places could be reached by a Minibus, sometimes the roads are so narrow that the driving time increases tremendously with such as vehicle, and the ride gets much more rocky for the passengers.
G. Limousine Chauffeur versus Bus Driver. Even if you don't want a DG's but just a chauffeur service, it has to be clear that there is a substantial difference in the personability and customer care level of a bus driver versus a limousine chauffer. Chauffeur service drivers are trained and used to deal with the needs of the most discriminating and demanding clientele, since they mostly deal with wealthy travelers who travel at 5 star level and expect the best of every service. While a bus driver, is primarily there to “conduct the bus” a chauffeur is there to primarily “take care of the clients’ needs while driving”.
18 - 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. 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 or she has attended school to learn all about the sites you will see. A guide is permitted to go into the historical sites with you and tell you about the history. Naturally, their services will cost more. A tour driver is not licensed, has not attended "guide" school, and is not permitted inside the site to tell you about the history. Naturally, their services will be more economical. Many drivers are just as well versed in the area history as the guides. The difference of course is that they have to tell you the facts before you go inside.
19 - 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 or she has attended school to learn all about the sites you will see. A licensed guide is permitted to go into the historical sites with you and tell you about the history. Naturally, their services will cost more.
b) Bus with driver and tour escort , which is training to be a guide but doesn't have a permit. Honestly their service is more requested since they study a lot and most are still at school, and give more or less the same information 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 can explain the sights only from inside the vehicle, but are not allowed to do so once they are outside the vehicle. Naturally, their services will be more economical Back to top How long does it take to receive transportation quotes? On average most quotes are furnished to you well within 24/48 hours. However you may receive quotes within just minutes of your request and up to 72 hours at maximum.
20 - Where will my chauffeur meet me?
Airports: Our drivers wait outside the luggage claim area, right outside of the custom, possibly many people will be holding signs and also your driver will be there posting your name on a board. That's how you identify your driver. Our service and price includes parking and waiting up to one hour after the scheduled landing time. Our passengers should be able to reach us or the agency they book us through since you never know what can happen when you are on planes… in a crowded and chaotic airports. It can take about 20/30 minutes from the time when the plane lands until you actually get to the public lounge. If it takes will take longer, for example due to lost luggage, passengers should come out for a second to tell the driver they will be late. We normally start getting restless after 45 minutes and we don't wait any longer than one hour from planes landing time. If you carry a cell phone registered outside of Italy you also need to dial the country code +39 so the whole sequence should be: 0039 338 8630168 .
Ports: You'll find the car or van parked right on the pier where your ship docks at the time you set. Your name will be posted on its windshield or if allowed to park the vehicle the driver will walk with the sign at hand to the gangway, but since most large ships have more than 1 gangways, if you don’t’ see your driver right away, look around for him, ask where chauffeur service vehicles stand, before you get frantic and assume he’s not there. If you have difficulty locating your chauffeur, please call us at 338 8630168 (0039 338 8630168 outside Italy) or 081 8789144 (0039 081 8789144 outside Italy) . Leaving your pick-up location, without notifying us, will result in a "no-show" charge
Hotel: Some companies or agencies who deal with particularly important people, instruct us to let our driver announce himself to the concierge as he reached the hotel but DO NOT want that the passengers are called in the room to announce that the driver or guide has arrived. The assumption is “The passenger knows at what time the service is booked, when he is ready he will come down, don’t disturb the passenger announcing yourself” but the majority of the people will expect that we do announce ourselves when we arrive, and so we will do. The concierges of the small hotels know each and everyone of their guests so when we go in and ask for our clients they have no problem addressing me to them, but that doesn't always work when clients stay in a big hotel. In this case it's a lot easier for the clients to spot the driver than it is for the driver to spot them.
Train Station: Arriving at the station, just as you come down from the train, follow the flow of the people leaving the train till you get to the head of the train and you'll see a person with a sign with your name right on the platform where the train pulls in. If you don’t see the person right away, please wait a few minutes right there, don’t run around the station to find him, you will NEVER find him this way. Sometimes trains arrive early, sometimes they arrive on a different track than the announced one, it may take a few minutes for the driver to locate where you are but he will. NB: Clients traveling to the Naples train station: PLEASE GET OFF THE TRAIN AT NAPLES CENTRALE), we will wait for you there. Napoli Centrale is the last stop for the city of Naples. If you have difficulty locating your chauffeur, please call us at 338 8630168 (0039 338 8630168 outside Italy) or 081 8789144 (0039 081 8789144 outside Italy) . Leaving your pick-up location, without notifying us, will result in a "no-show" charge.