This was our first Cunard cruise, but 15th overall. We embarked at Fremantle, Western Australia, on 2 April 2015 for a 16 night cruise to Cape Town, South Africa.

Embarkation process was smooth, easy and quick. Then onto the ship, which was a little confusing until we got our bearings. There were people around to point you in the right direction. Our balcony cabin (5036) was on deck five which was an ideal location, it was selected for us as an upgrade and although the balcony was sheltered, we still enjoyed it, though would have used it more if it was not sheltered. The balcony was very large and private, and being on deck five we could easily go up and down the stairs as most activities, bars and dining were on decks two and three. The bed was very comfortable. The cabin was similar to others we have had, it had all the basics and was kept clean by our wonderful steward Joey. Joey was impressive, knew our names from the first day, always friendly and smiling and nothing was too much trouble. He is a real asset to Cunard. (To improve the cabin a shower screen, instead of the existing shower curtain, would be good. Also a better TV with interactive capabilities so you can check your bill, your photos and order room service like other cruise lines have.)

Another advantage of being on deck five was it was very stable and you could hardly feel the ship moving. On a Celebrity cruise in December we had a lovely suite on deck 12 but you could really feel the sway of the ship. On level five it was much smoother. Also, deck five has cabins only above and beneath, meaning there was no noise. Read more