Bait and Switch on Colosseum Underground Tours

Have you called to express your concerns? Would you be able to change your date?
This group is usually very good to work with.

I have called the company, but we only have two full days in Rome and have another tour booked the other day. The only alternative they had was to do the morning tour without the underground, and offered a measly 5% off that. I feel let down by them, especially since I paid them $1,500 for an underground tour for 12, plus transfer from our accommodation.

Why do you think it was a bait and switch? Are they set to gain anything from changing your tour to the afternoon? Could it simply be that they're experiencing problems that mean they are unable to provide a morning tour?

Most operators offer afternoon tours only for the underground. By offering a morning tour with the intent to switch it at a later date, they are gaining an advantage on the market by capturing clients seeking the morning tours. Other operators were upfront and said they could not offer morning tours.

They are a very reputable company. The backstory may be more complicated. We had a Top Level Colosseum tour scheduled with the Roman Guy that had to be moved several days due to permitting problems with Colosseum management. I know it was true as it affected other companies as well.

The Colosseum itself has change many many rules since last November which may be affecting the tour companies. These rules were not all published at the same time, which has driven Everyone on the forum crazy trying to give accurate information.

Hope you find some resolution.

Have you checked to see if there's any space on their evening tour.

You nailed it, Gerri.
The constant changes in procedures and rules for ticketing/tours at the Colosseum this past year have driven us nuts. Or to drink. Or both. 🍷(hic)

Don't EVEN get us started....

The Roman Guy has had excellent reviews for quite some time. My guess is that they've just been caught in some fresh bit of madness that they had no control over.

Editing to add: the changes in National Museum Free Days - including current Culture Week - were announced by the ministry so recently that the museums themselves, as well as the tour companies, were caught out. Many are in the process of refunding tours/tickets pre-purchased for this week: no tours allowed.

I used them for a colosseum and forum tour, and the rules changed after I bought the ticket. It meant not going up to the third level, but this was due to the ticketing changes and not them. Just to backup what others are saying. They're a good organization dealing with whatever comes their way. Since you're a group of 12, would a private tour in the morning be economical?

If the cost of a private tour in the morning is similar, that would be a great option. Can you recommend any companies for private tours?

Hi All! Thanks for all the comments, especially the compliments. It is very rewarding to see past customers saying such nice things about us online. It makes us all feel really good about what we're doing.

Hi Alison, I am sorry you are not happy with the booking experience. I know what it is like to look forward to something and then have bumps in the road. Even worse when you are spending a ton of money. For that I am sorry.

We do have an explanation in our FAQ section of this tour that explains that start times are subject to change and we would convey that change at least 7 days prior to your tour. If that is not good for you, you are entitled to a 100% refund. I understand that there is a lot of information on our website. I don't have time to read every word on a page when I buy a product either. This why we have a generous 72-hour cancellation policy to protect customers - you can cancel and we'll fully refund you if the time doesn't work.

We don't offer discounts to compensate for those changes with this tour as we explain in advance the likeliness of this happening. The time change is not due to something our company did or did not do. It is an industry challenge - that may be hard to believe, but its the truth. We don't profit off the change either. For us, it would be much less work to not change people. We really want to make you happy, but we don't compensate for this tour time changing. If there is any other way to make it up to you we are happy doing so. Call us to make some restaurant reservations or provide helpful info about your stay.

Again I am sorry for the inconvenience. I hope you choose to change your time and stay with us.
- Sean Finelli

Thanks for the reply, Sean. I appreciate it. The Roman Guys company seems to have overall very good reviews, which is why I was confident in booking with you in the first place. However, I wish I had know AT THE TIME OF BOOKING that the scheduled time was subject to change, not after I booked it and read the fine print. That would have changed my decision to book with you. I could have saved some money and booked with LivItaly, or another highly recommended tour company that were offering discounts at that time. At least they were honest and upfront with the schedule issue. Offering to help with restaurant suggestions hardly makes this better.

Alison, I'm really sorry that you've had a disappointment but I don't understand your claim that the possibility of change wasn't clearly published at the time of your booking? I don't know exactly what tour you booked but looking at the FAQ for the Colosseum Underground+ Forum + Palatine tour....

https://theromanguy.com/tours/Rome/colosseum-dungeons-tour-with-roman-forum-palantine-hill

....it clearly states that times might change.

Q: Is it possible The Roman Guy will change this tour time?

A: Yes! It is possible. This tour is highly coveted and the
reservations are hard to get. This is an industry challenge for tour
companies. Times often change by a few hours and we will almost always
update you at least 7 days before your tour. We really want you to be
happy as a traveler and will do our best to meet the needs of your
schedule. That being said, we are limited by a very low supply from
the Colosseum. If necessary, The Roman Guy will call the number you've
provided or email you with the goal of informing you of this change.
If you are nervous about keeping up with time-changes we recommend
booking a different Colosseum Tour. If you want to make sure your
Colosseum tour is going to run as scheduled please email or call +1
888 290 5595.

Below that, it also states that that the tour might be cancelled altogether or moved to a different day but you'll be given 7 days notice in advance. So, it's not as if this info is buried in a lot of tiny fine print that's hard to find or easily missed? IMHO, pretty "honest and upfront".

In Sean's defense, ticketing/tours for the main attractions in Italy's cities are subject to any number of unforeseen circumstances, such as closures for damage/safety, a worker strike or even heavy weather, depending on the attraction. It's up to the buyer to read all the info on what they're signing up for and what compensation or cancellation policies are should things fall apart.

Wow, Sean actually took the time to address a customer's discontent with changes with her tour. Since this is a World-wide public forum, you never know who's browsing. As you can see, Sean is very easy-going and willing to compromise or help in other ways. That was nice of him to come and post to explain the circumstances as well as protect the good name of The Roman Guy.

I usually link or reference "The Roman Guy" videos and website in a lot of posts when people inquire about guided tours. I've often stated I've never met Sean or took a tour with them (yet.) I watch the videos, learn and get entertained.

For the above reasons is why I will continue to suggest The Roman Guy tours. I'm sure I'll have a good time and be educated when I eventually book with them.

Exactly! It is not mentioned under the tour description, only under FAQ, which you have to click on to read. I communicated via email with their customer service manager and not once was this mentioned. I booked over the phone, and again, this was not mentioned.

When I asked other tour companies if we could get a morning tour, they said they could try but it would depend on the availability. It just seems like a customer service courtesy that was conviently overlooked in their favor.

I understand their policy and that I have the choice for a refund. I am looking into other options. Unfortunately there appears to be a lot of tour companies and ticket sale sites that are taking advantage of tourists. Buyer beware!

If anyone can recommend other companies or tours to check out, please let me know. I’d be interested in ones that support students and reinvest back into the community, and are not solely focused on profit.

Gee Alison, I have to disagree a bit on the harshness about 'bait and switch' or 'buyer beware.'

I sincerely doubt that Sean or his partners, and the company as a whole, would want to damage their reputation by pulling a fast one on any customer. I believe he explained what happened and offered you alternatives that he thought could work in your favor.

I understand you're upset because you're traveling with a large group, and coordinating any event can't be a breeze.

But, it really is up to the buyer to read everything or ask questions. Maybe? the representative on the phone figured you read all the ins and outs.

Maybe you can talk it over with your family, get some votes, call TRG and go from there. I hope it works out for you.

Alison,

You can try calling this company https://darkrome.com/rome-tours?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8J3QufHu4AIVpBx9Ch2TXQZmEAAYASABEgJtgPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Or, call Walks of Italy. Perhaps you can go to the 'search' box above and plug in a key word or two. I think other forumers have taken guided tours with different companies.

adding: But, I would think any other tour company will run into the same issues. The management at the Colosseo makes/changes rules and conditions.

Exactly! It is not mentioned under the tour description, only under
FAQ, which you have to click on to read.

Yes, you had to make one click. You have to click elsewhere on the sites of the other reputable tour companies Girasole suggested to find their own disclaimers (yes, they have them, and in "legal" language).

Stuff happens. Just ask the many, many folks, like these, whose tours and entry tickets were recently cancelled due to the late-in-the-game Culture Week decision. I'm sure Roman Guy, Dark Rome, Walks of Italy and the rest got caught in that one too through no fault of their own.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187791-i22-k12377914-Culture_Week_Cancelled_Colosseum_Booking-Rome_Lazio.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187791-i22-k12342843-Week_of_Culture_Colosseum_Tour_cancelled-Rome_Lazio.html

Anyway, no "bait and switch" here. Best to read and understand the terms and conditions of ANY service you decide to book. You've never had a change in flight time?

Alison,

I'm a little confused.

I've read through the whole thread last night and today, and don't want to reread it again, so if my old man's memory is faulty please excuse me.

I thought you said that this was a last minute change, so I would assume that you would be casting about for a better result in your eyes.

But then you also said in your original post that you are concerned about the afternoon heat and your party of 12 elderly through child age folks. But this is March and the afternoon heat doesn't come until late Spring in Rome.

Would an afternoon tour with The Roman Guy be so bad for your group at this time of the year? I bet you would get great value and fabulous knowledge.

Whatever you do, I know that working with a group is very hard work, and with only 2 days there you have to move at the speed of slowest one in the group. When all is said and done, and on your way home, I hope you feel it was a great experience and that you feel all warm and fuzzy.

Nigel, I believe their trip is in June. Not sure how many days in Rome they have.

And I agree that moving a large group around is a challenging task! Actually, Sean's offer to make restaurant reservations for a group of 12 is not to be taken lightly.

Agreed. Also, having a short visit to Rome limits the flexibility of times and dates for the group.

I think Alison wrote about a 5% discount that was offered. Whatever that was for or equates too, hey, the extra euro saved = more gelato for everyone.

It seems she has 11 days in Italy. I "cliff noted" through her replies so I don't know if that includes both flying days. It appears she's picking up a van in Rome and then venturing on after two days in Rome.

Her family group includes her parents celebrating their 50th. So, I can see why she may be a bit under pressure to have things go smoothly.

adding: Actually, thinking on it now, maybe taking Sean's offer to find a nice restaurant would be really nice. In June, I'm sure it would not be an easy task for the average traveler to secure reservations for 12 people.

Picture this: All gathered, celebrating a milestone. It can be a lot of fun and very cozy. Many Roman restaurants have the "Old World" style and feel to them. Family, together, in Rome, eating and laughing together...maybe wine flowing, antipasti passed around, kids getting a kick out of Frizzante..."memories."