This was our first time with Cunard although we are certainly not first time cruisers. We booked back in November and have eagerly kept up with reviews (some of which were a bit worrying) up to the time of sailing. Our main reason for choosing this cruise was that it gave us that very rare opportunity to sail on a maiden voyage with what we believed that would entail at each port of call.We are going to try to be totally objective and not go over old ground on points which have already been mentioned but just touch on one or two things which we hope will be taken as constructive criticism.Starting on a positive note, our accommodation in a Queens Suite was spacious and comfortable. Enough storage in our cabin for the longest cruise. Food was of a very good standard. All the staff without exception were polite, helpful and courteous. However...............Ports of CallThe organisation in this department needs a shake up. On three of our stops it was a national holiday and much was closed. Bad planning. Our excursion in Helsinki involved a sailing yacht and it was mentioned in Cunard's description of the tour that there were 4 steep steps to get on board and another 4 to go down. This was not so - an almost flat gangway to walk on with 2 or 3 small steps to board the deck. This trip was one of our highlights but some less mobile people could easily have been put off. Facts should be checked thoroughly before giving false information.On the ship's information sheet which we received the night before our stop in Tallinn it says "Currency - the local currency in Estonia is Kroons - Euros are only accepted by a few taxis and local handicraft stores". We went into an ordinary shop, saw something we liked and hopefully asked if we could pay in Euros. We received quite a surprised look and were told "of course, our currency is the Euro - we converted on 1st January this year". Again Cunard do your homework.Photography The absolute highlight of our cruise was the arrival and departure at Travemunde This port of call was a last minute substitution as Cunard decided that due to the quantity of other cruise ships due on the day, to re-arrange the itinerary and substitute Kristiansand with Travemunde. The arrival and departure had to be experienced to get across the impact. Over 20,000 people lined the quayside on both occasions and accompanied the ship in small boats. There was a huge welcome banner, brass band playing our national anthem, church bells ringing, people waving union flags and cheering. Just what one would expect when a prestigious new liner sails into port for the first time. We wanted to buy the DVD of the cruise so we could share this experience with our family and friends back home. Unfortunately the ship's video photographer missed the whole thing - both arrival and departure ! On enquiring we were told it was a 'blip' and that he had been elsewhere at the time and that they had taken a fair bit of stick about it. We think it fair to say that photography on the Queen Elizabeth leaves a lot to be desired - lack of skill, imagination and artistry and extortionate prices. For the Travemunde situation someone's head should roll.Entertainment Not impressed. The two or three musicals were very amateurish. Again not of the quality or variety one would expect on this level of cruise liner. We enjoy a formal evening because it is nice to dress up once in a while but the themed evenings were a total waste of time. No one bothered with the theme.Communication We had a Queens Grill suite and it would appear that certain things are available to this category but there is nothing that lists what they are. You always have to ask. There was an optional a la carte menu at no charge; dishes could be flambed at your table and we soon realised that other diners were having all sorts of things cooked which weren't on the menu. We had not been told this was possible or indeed what dishes were available. This probably sounds like petty wingeing but we like to know what is available for the money we have paid so as to avoid any embarrassment on either side. We were offered complimentary bottles of wine or spirit with mixers each week for consumption in our cabin, and found out that the beer and soft drinks in the fridge were also complimentary.Both external swimming pools were closed for maintenance (not both at the same time) on this trip but to be fair it was not really warm enough to use them. There was an indoor pool in the Spa area but we could find no way in. You could see it through glass panels but it was always dark and empty. No explanation anywhere of what the system was for using it. We finally asked a member of the Spa staff who explained that you had to buy a daily ticket but they sold out quickly. Strange because in the 14 days we never saw anyone use it.The ShipWe found that there was a lot of vibration wherever we were on the ship. This even included the Queens Grill Restaurant mid ships on the 11th deck, as well as in the theatre which is located towards the bow, which surprised us. Someone has previously said that the ship is devoid of character and is like staying in a hotel. We couldn't agree more - there is no buzz, no sparkle, no 'wow' factor. We don't want climbing walls, skating rinks, or ships on sticks as prizes - just value for money rather than obvious cost-cutting. We could fill another two pages but wouldn't know where to stop. We won't sail Cunard again. We will go back to Celebrity where you finish your cruise actually feeling like a celebrity.