TheYoungCunarder

How exciting! It is indeed the best! My first ever "cruise" was actually the QM2 TA, and I loved it! I've done it four or five times since (I've lost count!), both directions, and it's great every time. I hope you have a wonderful time!

Having spent a couple of weeks on QA, I can assure you that the dancers on board wholeheartedly disagree with your observations from videos. There were a lot of complaints being made, and Cunard were having to arrange impromptu classes elsewhere on the ship to try to accommodate them. Dance "fanatics" or professionals with a lot of experience may be more suited to the challenge of the small, odd shaped floor, but a lot of dance regulars who sail to enjoy their dance time were not at all keen.

I've posted some comments on Queen Anne here, if useful OP... https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3029158-ive-now-sailed-all-four-queens-and-my-favourite-is/ I don't dislike her, but there are some very notable differences to be aware of.

It definitely feels like this on QA, Oceanview rooms only seem to be available in the lower decks (possibly only on 1!?), and the placement of the lifeboats on the "prom" means there are far fewer obstructed view balcony rooms to worry about for Cunard, regardless of the obstructed views for everyone trying to have a walk. It just feels like a soulless walking track, unfortunately.

...Queen Mary 2, without a doubt. But let me explain why below, and please share your own opinions too - everyone likes something different and I'd love to know yours! (I should say that my experience in based entirely in Britannia staterooms, no Club or Grills experience). Queen Mary 2 QM2 is a big ship, and she's usually busy, but she doesn't ever feel busy. I've never had to step aside I to a doorway or squish into a corner on the stairs to let someone pass. I've never had staff back into me with trays or trolleys. I've never seen someone in a wheelchair or mobility scooter struggle to turn around, like they have on the others. There's a lot of hate on CC for the King's Court, but is by far my favourite buffet on Cunard, far superior IMHO to both The Lido and Artisan's Court. There's far more choice - especially if you don't eat red meat - and more variety on the longer trips; I've never seen repeats in KC across 14 days that I have on other ships in 7. In addition, the dietary requirements section is actually separate, and there's no queueing for anything in the buffet, the burger grill, pizza station, salad, sushi... Some of those stations are entirely absent on the other ships, and don't get me started on the QA "salad bar". The big winner for me on QM2 is the second theatre/planetarium, Illuminations. I know the RCT on QM2 can hold 1000+ and Illuminations is <400, but the additional venue for Insights talks, movies as a cinema, performances, and of course the planetarium shows makes all the difference on sea days. QV, QE, and QA all suffer from a lack of programming when there are daytime rehearsals for evening shows, leaving little to do in terms of enrichment outside of dance classes (though limited themselves on QA thanks to the tiny Queen's Room!) or deck sports. A close second is the actual Promenade Deck, complete with steamer loungers on QM2. I know both QE and QV also have this, but it being on deck 7 on QM2 rather than deck 3 makes a big difference, especially if you don't have a balcony stateroom to hide away in. RIP the Promenade Deck on QA. I don't know what they were thinking... I also think the service on QM2 is far superior to the others; staff take the time to get to know you. That's not to say there aren't great individuals on the others - there are, of course - it's just that they're in a minority. I've never seen the wrong drink made in the Commodore, the wrong dish served in the Britannia, desserts and coffee forgotten at the end of the meal, and stateroom cleaning missed. Queen Anne I love the style of this new ship, subtle nods to Art Deco whilst being recognisably Cunard, and the staterooms are greatly improved. It's nice to see glass and tiles in the bathrooms finally, though I personally don't mind the older ones and shower curtains but can understand why people do. The Pavillion is a lovely space, especially with the roof open, but it's too busy. There's so little space to sit outside on QA (see the note above on the Promenade Deck), that the pool areas are packed. The Grill and Gelateria, as well as the Wellness Cafe, are good additions to this area too. The Sky Bar is a good option, but with limited seating again and the fact that almost 50% of the forward section is the only smoking area onboard ruins it as there's nothing stopping the smoke drifting over the rest of the deck if the winds are wrong. This is also further impacted by the early closure, by 18.30 most evenings, sail away or not. My favourite thing about QA, aside from the revamped staterooms, is the art! I love the traditional ship artwork on the others, but the modern and varied selection on QA is a fantastic and very welcome change. My personal favourites are the ink landscapes between 5-6 and the lino print between 3-4 midships. The other great thing about QA is the increased size of the Commodore Club. This does make it busier, and reduce the appeal of the Chart Room (which never appeared anywhere near full any time we walked past, especially as there's no live music offering here anymore), and even with the reduced menu now it is still one of my favourite places in the ship, especially with the larger, panoramic windows. QA has the potential to be a great ship, but the service needs improvement. Our sommelier said it to our neighbours one night at dinner; "it's a new ship, there are still problems, of course. We're maybe 70% there". Enough said. Queen Elizabeth/Queen Victoria Combining these two as the ships are so similar in most respects... The Queens Room is in a much better place on these ships, it's nice to be able to walk through without the maze of mezzanine decks, and if course it's large enough to cope if half the ship turn up after dinner to watch the dancers (RIP QA Queen's Room). I also like the balcony in the RCT on these ships with the boxes at the sides. It's nice to be able to sneak in and see what the show is like without disturbing others, and getting table service in your box with the giant tassel if you're lucky. The outdoor space on QE and QV is also great, especially the Games Deck at the top (beyond the croquet and shuffleboard). The giant chess/chequers board on QV never seemed to be in use, so provided a great lookout without the sunbeds to navigate. It's a fantastic place to stargaze from, too, without walls and lights in the way after dark. These ships, along with QA, seem a lot smaller than they are, and I think it's largely to do with the lower ceilings (outside of decks 2 and 3 that obviously have greater heights). Guests definitely feel more compacted on QA in comparison to QV and QE too thanks to the asymmetrical design of some areas, e.g. the Queens Room and Grand Lobby. I guess each of the Queens is different, and that's deliberate. You're not supposed to love them all equally. As a Platinum member having spent weeks/months on each of them, I certainly do, and it's still QM2 for me - my first Cunard love.