Length MSQ from all the expansions - it is getting insane

[Jeeqbit]

Since I am a veteran MMO player, played them since 2001.
I hate this hand-holding that this game has.

As a veteran MMO player that has no doubt seen new players come and go countless times, you surely understand why that hand-holding is necessary. Most new players quit the game (this happens with all MMO games). The hand-holding helps keep them there by reducing their confusion and guiding them through the game properly.

Also, the number of hours you have to spend to play through the ALL msq is just insane.

It is, but it is a Final Fantasy game and Final Fantasy games are about story, so the developers do not want to compromise on this and make it not about story.

I am the type of player who likes to have tons of alts and does not like the idea of having all classes on one character.

Bad news then. This game is designed around doing everything on one character. Most other MMOs were designed the way that you like with the class tied to the character.

The old republic has all quests voiced, maybe because the number of them is so much smaller than FFXIV.

There is also localization (translation to several other languages) and once they decide to voice something, they have to commit to never adjusting it and that is a big commitment because they have to be certain they will never need to change the text for any reason since it is voiced.