The box is not that large, and the model looks like it will be about 20 cm (8 inches) long when it's built. There are 4 sprues of a hard white shiny plastic, a one page instruction sheet (with the same instructions on both sides! ) and that's it.
In my boxing, one part of the hull was detached from the sprues, and everything else was intact.
There is quite nice raised detail on the outside, with the gaps between the planks being engraved, although not particularly delicately! It's a full hull model, and so a stand and nameplate are provided in the set. There are a few ejector pin marks which need to be removed, particularly on the sides of the cannon, but not much flash.
I'm really not convinced about those cupolas on either side, they strike me as an ostentation unlikely to be on English ships of the period
As usual the shrouds and ratlines are dramatically overscale. I think that I'll replace most of those with something a little thinner.
The main plastic related issue I have is that one of the top lasts is seriously bent, and may have been in that banana pose since 1966...
I think replacing it with some plastic rod, and a thinner standard (Actually it's a "Jack" as it's on one of Her Majesty's Ships). I also think that portraying the ship on a stand with sails furled will be better than with those big thick moulded sails. 
The paintwork will be challenging, there are lots of sharp demarcation lines on the sides of the hull, but it should be interesting. I'm looking forward to this, although I've no idea when it'll get built!
cheers
Andrew
