A family from Sunderland has condemned their £8,000 cruise after claiming their children were covered in black soot from the ship's funnels and drunken passengers vomited near their table. Iain and Sally Wright boarded the MSC Cruises Virtuosa on 12 July for a two-week trip across Spain with their two children and Iain's mother-in-law.
Iain, a 41-year-old author, said the level of drunkenness on board was 'insane', comparing the atmosphere to a pub. On one occasion, a passenger vomited next to the family's table while they played Scrabble, and it took staff an hour to clean up the mess. The following day, his children Jack, 11, and Molly, eight, returned from the pool covered in black soot from the ship's funnels, which caused Molly to suffer an allergic reaction requiring medical treatment.
The family complained to customer services but were told the soot 'happens sometimes'. They spent the rest of the trip in their cabin due to the 'awful' atmosphere. MSC Cruises said they 'regretted' the experience and would reach out to address their concerns.
