Like you, I read lots of the reviews of the QM2 before we sailed, and had fairly mixed feelings about the trip as a result. Having now sailed on her, overall, I'd say most of the plus and minus points other reviewers had mentioned are quite true. We've sailed with RCI and Celebrity before, and Cunard slots into the middle Cunard was way better than RCI, but not as good as Celebrity. However, being on an ocean liner (as opposed to a cruise ship) was an amazing experience, and I'd definitely go on her again.

Embarking at Southampton took a while, as the gangway to the ship wasn't working, so a fair bit of waiting around until it was repaired. Once it was, the rest of the process was quite quick. Cabins were nice, fairly standard in size and layout, with plenty of storage space for a seven day cruise. Two of us had balconies with metal fronts, and two of us had glass-fronted balconies. On the whole, the metal fronts weren't as nice, as once you sat down you couldn't see the sea over the top of the balcony, but other than that it was fine. I think in future I'd shell out the extra and go for a glass front instead, though. Comes down to do you want to gaze at a metal wall, or at the sea.

The ship itself looked worn out in places, especially with the lumpy carpets in the high-traffic areas, but the overall impression was still that it was a beautiful ship. We were in the Britannia, and the food was nice but nothing amazing. Nouvelle cuisine style portions meant you never left the restaurant feeling particularly full! The Kings Court buffet area really is like a cafeteria on a cross-channel ferry, and we eat there one evening. The food was noticeably better than the Britannia, but then you were paying extra. The vegetarian option on the menu meant that they fetched you something from either the Britannia or the Grill restaurants, which rather defeated the point of eating there in the first place. But if you wanted meat, the meals were excellent. The area isn't shut off in the evening, so lots of people are walking past you as you eat, so it still had a cafeteria feel about the experience. Generally, the food side of this trip was the least appealing aspect of the experience, but where ever you eat, you certainly won't go hungry. Read more