This was our 20th cruise and 2nd time with Cunard, but first timers on the Queen Victoria.
The reason for the title of my review was due to some of the appalling reviews given of the Queen Victoria in the six week period prior to my departure.....to the point wherein my wife and i actually considered cancelling or just not turning up.(but of course all reviews are subjective)
Embarkation at Southampton Ocean Terminal was a breeze and i was on the ship within 25 minutes of dropping off my car and eating lunch in the lido buffet some 15 minutes after that. The selection and quality was superb and fresh and certainly the Lido did not have a "Cafeteria" feel to it as had been mentioned in a previous report.
Good size and reasonable balcony with overhang above - but didn't block sun. On deck 8 (starboard)just below Lido buffet, but we heard no noise. We felt all storage space throughout was ample and liked the accessibility to the Lido and outside decks by stair.