MSC Cruises, MSC Virtuosa, UK and Ireland Review

MSC Virtuosa, UK and Ireland

Embarkation day was a shambles. We arrive at the dock at 11am and queued for 45mins at bag drop. we then queued for a further 31/2hrs to get as far as security. there was further 45mins queueing to check in. We queued again to climb the many corridors of the ramp to board ship. There were no facilities to get any food or something to drink and nowhere to sit until after security. Eventually once on board, we managed to get to the cafeteria for a drink. Again long queues for the food service of 40mins.
We opted for a cabin with a window {we normally have a balcony cabin} we were pleasantly surprised at the space and facility. Our dining was second sitting at 8.30pm and we arrived on time to find more queues, we were shown to our table at 9.10pm. Our starter came quite quickly however the main course took a lot longer but only 3 in our party of 4 were served. The restaurant manager ask how our food was and was stunned that we were still waiting for the other meal. He spoke to the waiter who hurried out to the kitchen, 10mins later the food arrived at 10.10pm. The waiter proceeded to clear the table without waiting for that plate to be eaten. The next morning I made a complaint at the customer service desk and was assured that the matter would be reviewed and move us to an earlier sitting. that evening everything was rectified to our satisfaction.
On the morning we arrived in Guernsey we booked tickets for the tender to take us ashore but when our time was called and we went to the landing stage the queues again were the length of the corridor. After 45mins with no tender arriving and the queue not moving at all several people from the front of the queue gave up and opted not to go, after a further 15mins we also decided that we had spent long enough queuing and went to spend the day beside the pool instead.
On disembarkation we even had queues to get off of the ship and were sent back to customer service to sort out a bill they said we owed. I was told it had been rectified and we didn't owe anything. I was refused disembarkation again. I went back to customer service and this time they agreed nothing was owed and it was their error. At last I was allowed to get off.
I FEEL THAT THE WHOLE WEEKEND WAS A WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME. WE SPENT MOST OF THE WEEKEND QUEUING AND DIDN'T EVEN GET TO VISIT GUERNSEY.