Trip on Tuesday August 11th from Alpha Hotel Sorrento and picked up 0825 at incontro garden bar San agnello with Awful tour guide. Pick up fine and went to Pompeii which was so interesting but I felt ill a third of way in tour and had to sit on floor as felt faint and breathless. A person got me a seat and I had headphone on and guide was nearby. Never once checked if all group were together. Once I had a drink of water and felt better my headset didn’t hear the guide so we carried on to where we felt he may be. A cafe at top of stairs. No one on our tour nearby and couldn’t hear them On headset. Hadn’t a clue where they were so tried to find a way to catch them Up to no avail so tried to find way to exit which wasn’t easy. Eventually got to meeting meeting point where my partner confronted guide to say he was angry that we were left alone with no idea where they all went. Guide was very rude and said he had 19 people and couldn’t keep an everyone which wasn’t acceptable. My partner said so and was given shrug of shoulders. Went on to wine tasting which didn’t tell us much about wine or bottling etc. Disappointed and very angry with way guide treated us. Missed most of Pompeii which we were so looking forward to.
Dear Mr. Grubba, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are genuinely sorry that you left the tour disappointed. However, after carefully reviewing the guide’s detailed report of the day, we feel it is important to clarify several points, as the events described in your review differ significantly from what actually occurred. The tour took place on August 11th, in exceptionally hot conditions, with temperatures around 40°C. Before entering Pompeii, the guide specifically advised all participants to carry water, protect themselves from the sun and remain together as a group. He also explained that, given the heat, he would make as many stops as possible in shaded areas and allow short cooling breaks at the fountains. All guests were also clearly invited to inform him immediately if they experienced any difficulty. Unfortunately, during the visit, the guide repeatedly noticed that you and your wife were not keeping with the group and were not correctly wearing your headsets. The guide also repeatedly asked you not to touch walls, frescoes and archaeological remains, as this is strictly prohibited and is essential for the protection of Pompeii’s invaluable heritage. At a later point, the guide noticed that you and your wife were no longer with the group. He asked the other participants if anyone had seen you, but nobody knew where you were. The tour therefore continued according to the planned itinerary, while the guide waited for you at the agreed meeting point after the visit. Most importantly, we would like to clarify the circumstances concerning your wife feeling unwell. At the agreed meeting point, while the guide was contacting the agency to report that you had not yet joined the group, he saw you both leaving the bar with drinks and ice creams. He immediately asked you to rejoin the group and personally checked whether your wife was feeling better and whether she required medical assistance. According to the guide’s report, you confirmed that she was fine and that you intended to continue to the wine tasting. The tour then continued to the winery without further incident, and the group completed the itinerary as planned. We therefore find it unfortunate that the review gives the impression that you were simply abandoned by the guide while your wife was unwell. This does not correspond to the sequence of events reported by the guide, nor to the assistance that was offered to you once you were located. We fully understand that visiting Pompeii in extreme summer heat can be physically demanding, and we always encourage our guests to communicate immediately with their guide should they need assistance. At the same time, a small-group tour requires all participants to cooperate with the guide’s instructions, particularly regarding staying together, wearing the audio system and respecting the archaeological site. We are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations, but we believe it is important for future readers to have the complete context before drawing conclusions about the conduct of our guide. Kind regards, The Tour Management Team
