This was the first part of a longer cruise that continued to Southampton, and many of the remarks above apply to the whole trip. With luck, I'll be able to review the other segments.
I don't know if it was the ship or the air travel, but I came down with a bad cough that took me three weeks to shake. Fortunately, the weather was warm and the seas flat, so I took to sleeping on our balcony. The high humidity helped a lot.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Efficient checkin, prompt wheelchair assistance, poor signage at the terminal.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Cunard has a very good kitchen, though you'll search in vain for spicy foods if that's what you like (hint: ask for Sambal). The buffet was also good, but a lack of clear traffic flow made it a bit of a mob scene at times. Veranda is now a Steakhouse with a ho-hum lunch menu, but they still do "Lunch & Learn" wine meals that are quite good.
We had some challenges from the menu though, as the desriptions often failed to match up to the food. Sometimes this was (I suppose) just a British take on things, sometimes it was simply not using words in the usual way (an enchilada came out looking like a tostada, but with eggplant instead of a tortilla). The breakfast menu got dull quickly, and on a 40-night cruise, that's a challenge. Hint: fill a small bowl with ingredients, and ask the omelette station to us them for filler.
Get to know your server and sommalier. Our server warned us about a few entrées that were small and offered a larger portion. The wine list is very long and occasionally obscure, so take advantage of Cunard's well-trained wine staff for advice.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
Cunard has the best lecture series afloat. From the history of theatre to underwater photography to a homicide detective, they kept us busy every day.
Bridge was so popular it regularly spilled out onto the deck near the card room, and you could tell there were some very serious games going on. We skipped the "build-a-boat" contest, and the crossing the equator silliness. Team trivia in the pub was also very popular, but some of the official answers are just wrong, which was a dissatisfier.
Pursers Office
2 out of 5
While unfailingly polite, staff at this desk gave me bad or no information on several occasions, making parts of my holiday less pleasant than they might have been with good and accurate data. If it sounds odd, doublecheck.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Local performers were brought on when time permitted, and these ranged from enthusiastic amateurs to world-class professionals. Visiting entertainers varied, but were generally not as good. The comedians were... British, I suppose. To American ears quite unfunny, and occasionally insulting. The ship's cast are spotty, with some great dancers and at least one great voice among the mediocrity. Perhaps we're just spoiled from Disney cruises, but we didn't go. Tastes vary.
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
Cunard service is very proper, quite restrained, and not overtly friendly in the ways one might expect from other cruise lines. That said, if you can get them to talk, they're as friendly as anyone, time permitting.
Dining room service varied a lot, especially at breakfast and lunch. Some were fit for fine dining service, others for buffet.... Be demonstrative, ask for what you want and expect them to fix things if they're not right. But there will be times when you can't get anyone's attention -- happened every time my coffee cup ran dry.
Ship Quality
3 out of 5
Queen Victoria is nicely arranged, and gracefully decorated, as is her sister ship, the Queen Elizabeth 2.
Housekeeping is done well, but maintenance is a bit slack, with splatters of paint on surfaces and some items in need of small repairs.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Very comfotable cabin, with enough room to get past the bed without turning sideways (a common problem). Bathroom and shower are adequate. Too many pillows though!
The cabin was a bit short on drawers. Two large drawers under the bed are hard to reach, and were full of spare bedding until I asked our steward to clear them out for us. On a two-month cruise where we needed formal wear, it felt a bit cramped.
Ship tip
While you can just order "tea", they have a fair variety on request, including decaf. This is at all meals, not just Afternoon Tea (which is a must).
After a youth spent trying to *avoid* going to Vietnam, it was curious to see the place. Many report that it's beautiful in the countryside, but our tour took us to a busy, and not terribly prosperous city. Cobbled sidewalks were absolutely covered with scooters, obliging us to walk in the street. More interesting than appealing, I hope to see a more rural district when I return.
Some ports you just "like", and Singapore struck us that way. Friendly people, clean (as advertised), and it felt very safe.
Credit card use isn't widespread, so exchange some cash, especially for small purchases like drinks.
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