2014 GUEST FEEDBACK FROM ALL FAST LANE TRAVEL TOURS
2014 CUSTOM TOURS Peter- Just a note to express our awe and appreciation for the wonderful trip that Sven planned for David and I. It was probably fortuitous that my local travel agent is a long time member of Virtuoso and as such came upon your name when we inquired as to who they knew had expertise in planning a Euro Delivery trip for David and I. Right from the first call, Sven spent all the time I needed to get comfortable with the process of planning our trip. He offered various alternatives and together we came up with an itinerary that seemed to work for our rather short stay. The materials he developed were clear and concise and we went back and forth a few times while we fine tuned the itinerary. As I told you while in Stuttgart, everything went as planned and the suggested routes were better than we could have imagined. As David said, you guys added great value to our trip and it could not have gone better. Also, we were somewhat perplexed as to how you could in fact guaranty such perfect weather but 5 days of sun in mid October doesn’t get any better. I hope to use your services again for a structured trip-as I said, I just have to find someone to go along. Many thanks! -Allen Nachman, Bloomfied Hills, Michigan
I wanted to do something special for my son on his 50th birthday. My past experiences with Fast Lane Travel's services and performance during two recent group trips to Europe were a key factor. Also I knew that based on Fast Lane Travel's some 40 years in planning and executing these trips you would come up with unique places and events for us to visit and experience (that we could never find or experience on our own including several custom tours with private tour guides).
Having been on two other recent trips (2009 & 10) with Fast Lane Travel I knew of Peter and Thomas' vast knowledge and contacts in Europe that would result in a truly awesome tour - which is exactly what we got. To use my son's (Kevin) words - It was the trip of a lifetime. Also I knew that the detailed day-to-day trip itinerary that was prepared by Fast Lane would ensure that our time in Europe was effectively used and there would be no wasted time determining what to do or where to go - that was exactly what happened! Finally the Custom Tour Road Book that was provided was unexpected and it was the key document that we used during our trip. The daily navigation routes, key addresses for our car's GPS navigation system and the detailed Google Maps insured that we never got lost and made the most efficient use of our time. This book also had a 12 Driving Tips section that was most useful for a custom trip. The detailed planning and tour book were world class, customer friendly service that from my experience is only provided by Fast Lanes Travel. Also the events and private tour guides that Fast Lane Travel arranged for us were absolutely outstanding. As I have said to Peter and Thomas on many occasions - everything was perfectly normal and normally perfect with the planning and execution of this trip. This custom trip exceeded my expectations in all areas - it was truly an exceptional experience for my son and his wife and for me. I would not change one thing with this custom tour. All third parties providing services or tours were on-time, customer friendly and had outstanding local expertise. We attended events, gained knowledge and got to see things we never would have on our own.
Without a doubt the private tour with Volker Spannagel of the Porsche Factory and Museum were "world class". His attitude and Porsche knowledge were amazing and he took us to Ferry Porsche's residence after the tour. He got our trip off to a very positive start. We saw a Porsche 911 GT, a 918 Spyder and the 919 Porsche race car – all very amazing stuff for a Porsche Nut! Also a very special moment for me was when we toured Rothenburg. The hotel that Thomas recommended for lunch was the one that Gwen (my deceased wife) and I stayed in for 2 days during our Porsche trip in 1986 when we picked up a new Porsche at the Stuttgart factory. It sure brought back some very pleasant memories. Thanks again for all your efforts for this trip. I really appreciate it. -Frank Watkins, Melbourne, Florida
We have heard about your tours from the Pano & PCA Website. After Moe’s heart condition, he created a bucket list and then he decided to just do it! Thank you for helping me check this off my bucket list and convincing Lori that she would love it. We would also like to thank you for an amazing trip. We loved the hotels, sceneries, all the different foods, the gifts left in our room every night (nice touch), and the informational tid bits mentioned throughout the trip. Peter, Thomas and Sven, you are all amazing TREFFEN Meisters and we appreciate all the planning that went into this trip. Thank you for the awesome memories. -Moe and Lori Auger, North Smithfield, Rhode Island
Peter, Thanks for a great trip, the TREFFEN was fantastic and your attention to detail is remarkable. If you have a short one again I hope to maybe sign my son and myself up for it as he doesn't have a lot of free time in his position at the ICTY. Also if you plan the Tuscany again next year please keep us advised as that sounds great! We first heard about Fast Lane Travel from the PORSCHE Parade. Our two friends Jim Millick and Dorrell Frett told us we would enjoy the trip. We expected there to be a lot of driving and that there would be lots of delicious food. And sure enough, our expectations were met. We were pleasantly surprised with the tours and other activities. -Doug and Kathryn Hughes, Crossville, Tennessee
The TREFFEN was a birthday gift that exceeded all of our expectations. Peter you provided great value for the dollars spent. At our PCA breakfast this Saturday I will be singing your praises. -Todd and Deb Johnson, Newport Beach, California
The entire trip exceeded our expectations. We combined the TREFFEN Plus with picking up a car at Porsche Factory. The trip was outstanding, Thank you very much! -Jeff and Marge Lewis, Newport Beach, California Thank you so much for the excellence you gave to every detail and moment we experienced on the 2014 Spring TREFFEN Plus. We had the time of our life! The fun, laughter, scenery, food, wine, attention to our needs, and the Porsche experience that we had exceeded our expectations!
We heard about Fast Lane Travel from the Pano magazine ads. We really liked that the trip had longer stays in hotels and decided it was best to do it now rather than later. It was a bucket list item for us. We cannot wait to return for another trip with Fast Lane Travel. We saw that the French Riviera Tour coordinated with the delivery time on the new Porsche Targa in September. We have only been home for two day and we decided that we are doing it! This will be for Glenn’s 70th birthday and our 30th wedding anniversary. We like that
there was more personal time set aside on the French Riviera tour which appealed to us! (Blondie doesn’t like speed shopping). Like you advertise on your site… “You will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the one you did do.” My friends all say… “we are living life and not waiting to die”. Thank you again for the fabulous memories… -Kathy (Blondie) and Glen Nelson, Orange, California Completed 2 Fast Lane Travel Tours
Hi Peter, Thanks so much again for a truly spectacular trip, one certainly to be remembered. I use to read your ads in Panorama back when I was actively participating in the San Diego Porsche club. The thought of touring through Germany in a new 911 was thrilling enough, but reading the itinerary and realizing that
incredible driving was literally just the beginning, that sealed the deal. I realized how appealing the trip was apart from the Porsche/driving aspect of the trip. Watching my then-girlfriend's eyes twinkle (someone who couldn't care less about driving) as she read the itinerary for a Porsche trip really tipped the scales. High expectations invariably come with anyone embarking on such an exciting and inherently expensive adventure, and I was no exception. However, at every turn they were surpassed, in many cases beyond even my greatest hopes. The sights visited were romantic and beautiful the accommodations were lovely (especially the Ueberfahrt hotel in Tegernsee). Traveling with such a knowledgeable guide is invaluable, because the hidden treasures would be needles in a haystack to those unfamiliar. However, far and away the most compelling treasure was the very personalized custom tour to Hohenscwangau. From the lovely suite with a room view of Neuschwanstein castle, to the privately guided tour the following morning (typically not offered to the public), to the personal arrangement affording us the privacy for a wedding proposal in the famed concert room of King Ludwig II, the magic of the custom tour cannot be over-stated. The personalized attention to detail paired with the experience & knowledge of the company, as well as the dogged pride in providing the finest product possible, Fast Lane Travel will always be our company of choice. Nothing speaks greater than a personal experience like this. Clearly after decades of experience, you've honed these trips to near-perfection... Thank you so much for such a memorable experience! Cheers, -Ryan Olson and Angela Roser, Ft. Myers, Florida
We heard about the trip through a Pano ad. We have never been to Germany before and where excited to see the Porsche Museum. All in all this was a great trip and we received a high value for what we paid. -James and Cynthia Duffield, Merry Hill, North Carolina
Our Pre-TREFFEN arrangements, the Formel training, was an excellent program. It was well run, professional and the web descriptions were pretty accurate. The language was 90% German and 10% English. But it is not a huge problem if you have experience with the cars/braking/driving the same the world over. I think in the beginner classes they’d use more English, but they could see me nodding my head or making hand motions that meant I understood. I would definitely recommend for other clients but with some qualifications, experience matters. They call what I did “Professional” 1.5 day version, you can get German Competition A license if you take written test. For me, this was freaking outstanding….and I was busting at the seams as I beat even the quickest guys by 1+ second a lap and the slow ones by 7-8 sec’s.
All of that said….for the other trainings – “Starter” “Race Plus” and Grand Prix – they indicate all “guided sessions” on track…..basically I’d match a previous person’s experience to the course description and they should be happy customers….just like me!!
We also had a great time on the TREFFEN! We really enjoyed ourselves and would definitely do the trip again. We first heard about your tours from the Porsche Panorama ads, but the information on your website was a big deciding factor the choice between Fast Lane Travel and the competitor (autobahn something?).
We stayed at really nice hotels. A really special one was the Uberfarht. It certainly exceeded our expectations. The autobahn was what was expected from previous Germany trips. The castle dinner was a lot of fun and we expected something like it, also the pig museum for the early arrival – very nice, once-lifetime things.
Our post TREFFEN arrangements were excellent & we especially enjoyed the night at the Castle Rheinfels & 7 course meal. We thought it would be very cool, nice and great meal and in fact exceeded our expectations. It was fabulous “spot” night and dinner.
I would not change a thing about your tours. They are very well run, and we enjoyed every bit.
-Robert and CairyAnn Merritt, San Diego, California
We heard about Fast Lane Travel from the Pano and we liked that you have a cheaper trip option. We really wanted to drive on the autobahn at 150mph and visit the Porsche Museum and Factor tour. We were happy they got to do both and in addition to that, the factory tour guides where excellent. We really enjoyed the nightly notes and gifts along with the team leaders, Thomas and Hans and Sven and Peter once the two groups met up. We also really appreciated the interaction with the staff in the office. Tessa was great. She kept us up to date.
Overall everything was first class and we had a great time. We have already been recommending our trips to our friends. -Jerry and Phyllis O’Donnell, Laguna Niguel, California
We heard about your tours from the PCA magazine ads. Fast Lane Travel exceeded all of our expectations. We were very excited that we got to drive a new 911 on the autobahn. The staff; Peter, Thomas, Hans and Sven were all excellent. The trip was the right blend of discipline and fun! -Joel Scheir and Cherry Jobity, Nyack, New York
Peter and Thomas,
Chris and I want to thank you so much for a wonderful trip, it far exceeded both of our expectations. I am so happy I decided to leaf through one of Chris' Porsche magazines and discovered your company. We appreciate your attention to detail, your wonderful staff and that was evident throughout the trip. But most importantly it is your passion about travel that makes the trip so wonderful. We appreciated all of the people involved in the trip and their enjoyment of travel, driving and Porsche. I hope your trip home was uneventful and that your coming time at Le Mans is enjoyable, I know that Chris is quite set on doing this in 2015. Chris had to pick up his Porsche from the auto mechanic shop when we returned, after driving it back from Pinellas I asked him how it compared to the one he drove in Germany, he just laughed and said "it isn't even a fair comparison". We are looking forward to seeing you again! - Dr. Chris Sloan and Shirley Kocur, Tampa, Florida
All of my expectations were met. The success of the program is solely attributed to the great work and all out effort of the Dettaglio team. In addition to their backgrounds as successful racers, they managed to keep innumerable balls in the air without ever slipping up. I tip my hat to all of them. Thru their personal contacts and networking, we were able to get an insider's view of the race that few others could. The hosting family at the chateau was also very gracious an accommodating. Staying in their care was a great experience. The deciding factor was the access to the total race experience. It was supported by the comments of those that had attended in previous years.
One unexpected bonus of my trip occurred during the starting ceremonies for the race. As we all tend to have some disdain for the French and their "ways", I was totally surprised by my response to the tenor who sang "La Marseillaise". In contrast to the many US artists who seem bent on giving their "stylistic renditions" of our national anthem, this gentlemen belted out the "call to arms" as fervently as he possibly could. For the two minutes he sang, I would have been proud to have been French! It was nearly as moving as the silent stroll the American Cemetery above Omaha Beach.
All in all it was a great experience and I would recommend it to any real race fan who wants to participate in one the world's greatest sporting events. It's more than just a race. It's an experience of a lifetime.
Cheers,
- Fred Ringness, Morton, Illinois
Le Mans was awesome. What an experience! It met all our expectations. Robin and Sean and the two drivers were outstanding. We loved the pit visits. Loire Valley trip and sommelier inclusion was really worth it too. -Michael & Natalie Weinsz, North Canton, Ohio
I heard about the tour through a Porsche Club friend (Mike Simmons) who organized our group to go. My main desire was to drive a current Porsche on fun roads including the Autobahn and seeing the museums and factory. The deciding factor to join your tour was the "Porsche-focused" nature of the shorter trip rather than lots of sight-seeing. Bren Hirschberg, Bend, Oregon
We heard about our tours from the Pano Magazine and then we went on your website. Stephen expected to drive the 911 on the Autobahn and have fun and both his expectations were met! We would love to do another tour with more driving that really allows us to learn a lot about the vehicle when driving that long. We also really did enjoy the driving and the commentary. -Dr. Stephen Krause and Jennifer Turpin, Riegelsville, Pennsylvania
I heard about the Fast Lane Travel tours from the Panorama ads and also spoke to several other people from the Bend Porsche Club that said they were going. There was nothing that needed to be changed about your tours! -Larry Moore, El Dorado Hills, California
Dear Peter, We wanted to drive 150 mph on the autobahn and go to the PORSCHE Museum and the PORSCHE
Factory. All three were done. There were several members of our local PCA said they were interested in going and so we all traveled together. -Mike Simmons, Bend Oregon Dear Fast Lane Friends,
I have seen your print ads in the PCA Panorama and in our Orange Coast Region's Pandomonium for a while now. It was your fall and spring TREFFENS that fit my interests and my budget for travel. Basically, I wanted to see the Porsche Museum and factory and the driving tour of southern Germany including driving on the autobahn were certainly high on my list. I also wanted to have some fun and this trip far exceeded what I imagined. Every part of the trip, the tours, driving new PORSCHES, the hotels, our great dinners, and the people on the tour were all great.
Every part of this trip was first class. I appreciated the driving commentary as we drove through Bavaria. Peter and his colleagues made this trip a perfect experience from first contact to our farewell. Your attention to the daily details was evident and appreciated. I wouldn't change a thing!
I remember standing in wine cellars with our group after our dinners thinking that this is a great trip. I was very impressed with our guides, retirees from Porsche, who talked about the company and the auto industry in Germany. They were very good and a real premium for the trip. Comments - Thank you many
times over. I had a wonderful time and haven't stopped talking about the trip. As I said, I had more fun than I could have ever imagined. Our whole group commented on how we all enjoyed each other’s company. I have always found that to be the case with PCA members. The Graf Zeppelin breakfasts were a perfect start each day. The Seehotel Uberfahrt was over the top and reminded me of my experience with the Beverly Hills Hotel. Best wishes to you all!
-Mark Wallace, Long Beach, California Wow, wow and super wow! What a trip! Thank you for a para-military-exercise. We had a ball! What a surprise to be given your Treffenmeister sign from your car. The Wing-Babe never expected something so thoughtful! My Porsche flashlight has already been useful (don’t ask), of course my “Bear One” singing yodel bear ect. was a great surprise. Your history lessons, cute “true stories” and great personality were a plus. Thanks again, -Carl and Lynn Wheelus, Pensacola, Florida
2014 FRENCH RIVIERA PORSCHE FEST
As this was our first experience with Fast Lane Travel and we didn’t know what to expect. But this tour most definitely exceeded everything. We truly had an amazing time, and most definitely want to repeat it. Peter, Thomas and Sven thank you so much! -Stephanie Banks and Dave McFarlane, North Shore City, New Zealand
While Terri and I were the “newbies” to Fast Lane, we do not plan on staying that way! There were so many highlights for us it would be impossible to name them all. For sure meeting everyone, sharing stores and making new friends are at the top of our list. P.S. Peter and Sven, you guys were awesome, great time, exceeded all our expectations. Thanks! Until we meet again, good luck, and safe travels -David and Terri Murray, Springfield, Missouri
Everything on the French Riviera PORSCHE Fest was first rate as expected. We are already considering another Fast Lane tour in the future. I recommend this trip to every PORSCHE nut! -Mike Ray, Glenville, North Carolina Completed 2 Fast Lane Travel Tours
This was an experience I wanted to enjoy and Fast Lane Travel made the trip care free. Overall our experience was “Outstanding” with little or no stress. Volker was on his job 24/7 and we relied on him throughout. He added value on every drive and destination. In fact I believe he may be irreplaceable! I suspect t that the reason you have so many returning guests is because we have so much fun and at our age that is a particularly important feature. I also want to say how much we enjoyed the choir—an unexpected delight! So let me thank you, one and all, for your kindness and superior customer care. -Arthur and Nancy Day, Los Angeles, California
In the beginning we were excited about all of the countries we would drive too and all of the accommodations. It looked to be a great trip. We also loved that we were able to drive independently and at our own pace and speed. We expected that we would have a great trip in a wonderful Porsche 911 to drive through the great scenery, which we got all of and much more!! We made many great memories with a lot of new friends that all love cars and driving. Thanks for a great trip! Volker our guide was the best of all!
All of our expectations such a drives though beautiful countryside, staying at beautiful hotels, seeing and touring the PORSCHE museum and Factory and meeting interesting people were fulfilled completely. We would make no changes to your tour and in the future we would want a guide as knowledgeable and personable as Volker. He is an exceptional person and was one of the main reasons our trip was so successful! Each day he would inform us about where we were going, what to look for, help with the cars and he was available 24/7. -Rob and Kathy Gabler, Crownsville, Maryland
2014 TUSCANY PORSCHE FEST
This was as good as it gets and it was the trip of a life time for us. Having never done a group trip, we had nothing to compare. However, every detail was truly taken care of. This was in celebration of Steve’s 65th Birthday and it was the trip he had hoped for forever. Great job! -Steve and Kyle Atwell, Yarmouth, Maine
I now continue to ask myself “why” it took me so many years to sign up and travel with you in the arena you know so well and you have worked and traveled in forever. I have known you for many years in a business and professional setting but haven’t experienced you as a “drill instructor and quarterback”.
My and Debbie’s experience with you, a beautiful 911 and a world class group of new friends and their Porsches was one of the best and most memorable experiences of our lives. We have been lucky enough to see most of the world for fun or for business, but have never had such a time, ever. It was a perfect new and wonderful event in our lives.
Your, day after day, totally action packed schedule of events, meals, travel and friendship was memorable. All a result of you and your staff’s experience and sincere desire to serve up something high class and very special every minute of every day is unique in this world! Everything was
directly reflective of a huge level of pre-planning and scheduling with just the right amount of activity and a bit of free time sprinkled throughout. A perfect combination.
You also are to be thanked and congratulated for your company’s concern for our total safety and well-being in a very difficult set of venues and a very “independent” mix of people. Your patience was evident and quite impressive. You have a great group of people working with you and we really enjoyed the
time spent with Thomas, Sven and Fabian, as well as Jean, even though I really didn’t get the opportunity to talk to her privately about the “real” Peter.
We truly appreciated the “little” things you did each and every day. The money so we could go to the restrooms, now that is “class” and real attention to detail! The toll money envelopes. The special bed time gifts. The thought and creativity put into everything. All a real touch of Peter’s sensitivity on how to treat people.
Peter, thanks for allowing us to experience “your Europe” in a 911 Porsche during the most beautiful time off year. We are pleased and happy that “we did it” and will long cherish the memories of such a wonderful experience.
PS – and thanks for that last day of mountain driving. That drive alone made the trip worthwhile!
All of our expectations were met on this trip. There were fun people, excellent opportunities to drive a PORSCHE on good highways and the food and drink were very good. We were so pleased with last year’s trip that we decided to visit Tuscany with you as well. From our perspective, the trip was well structured. The hotels and restaurants were all very good along with the camaraderie. -Ivar and Sally Kasaks, New York, New York Completed 2 Fast Lane Travel Tours
All of our expectations for this trip were met and exceeded. It was the program and the itinerary made the decision easy to choose the TREFFEN. The organization was perfect and that is a true story! -Jerry and Joni Landon, Houston, Texas Susan and I want to thank everyone involved for a fantastic trip and experience. Driving on the autobahn at speeds over 150 mph was a life time dream!! Thank you! Let me put things in focus for Susan and I. About 24 months ago Susan was battling for her life while dealing with cancer. We made a promise to each other, if she got better, we would look at life in a different way. Live each day! Booking this trip was a result of this. We have never been on such a vacation. All we did is work for 35 years and take small trips with the family. Susan always wanted to experience Tuscany and I always wanted to go to Germany and the Porsche Factory and Museum. This trip was the perfect fit for us. All our expectations were met and then some. We value the friendships made and look forward to traveling with you again. Thank you! -Walt and Susan Weir, Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania
