A couple of years ago we managed to book a 2 night cruise on Queen Elizabeth - we were so impressed that when the opportunity came up for a short trip on the Queen Mary 2 during her world cruise we jumped at it.

We joined the ship in Brisbane where embarkation arrangements were fairly chaotic. Check in and issue of cruise cards was completed on board which made a pleasant office environment for the shore based check in staff. Once we had completed the formalities there was no one to welcome or direct us so we found our own way. We had expected a little better of Cunard. We were very pleased with our Princess Grills suite on deck 10 although initially surprised that the design of the ship had us looking down at the lifeboats rather than the water when on our balcony. Our first lesson in the differences found on an ocean liner rather than a cruise ship. Our cabin 10063 was well equipped and well located in the centre of the ship. The bathroom was roomy and there was heaps of closet space for a long cruise.

A couple of days is not long to get a true feel for a ship but we certainly enjoyed our time on board. The ship is lovely - full of interesting memorabilia and a quiet classical atmosphere. Most of the staff were courteous rather than friendly and we didn't see any of the officers wandering the ship and talking to people as we often have on other cruises. We did like the bridge viewing area and the opportunity to see all the controls. Read more