When we did Viva Italia, much of what is on the Signature trip was still included. I have to say that some of the things that made this trip spectacular were:
--Murano tour
--Jolly Roger farewell dinner (sailing on a pirate ship, at sunset on the Grand Canal, sipping Bellini -- what's better than that?)
--Bauer Hotel (beautiful!)
The other things we had but weren't as special:
--Gladiator and guitar musician at Welcome dinner
Things that sound messy:
--Welcome bellini drink served on the gondola in Venice
Things we didn't have but that definitely sound cool:
--Alcohol served at all dinners.
--Murano glass take away for each guest
--added Palazzo Vecchio ?Secret Passages? tour
Isn't this on the regular itinerary?
--Private transfers to and from the airport
None of this answers your question, though.
If it fit in my budget, I'd definitely pay the extra for the Signature trip, but that's just my personal opinion. (Breakfast alone at the Bauer was $65.00 per person if it wasn't included with the room!) Of course, everyone here knows I'm the unofficial AbD cheerleader, so my comments should always be taken with a grain of salt.
Dotti