"Scariest moment of my life": Cruise ship rides through brutal winter storm

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/scariest-moment-of-my-life-cruise-ship-rides-through-brutal-winter-storm/ar-BBHVJtK?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

They were cruising to the Bahamas for their patriarch's 80th birthday. Instead, they returned Friday after what they called a nightmare onboard the Norwegian Breakaway.

"I thought I'd never be in a situation where I would say that's the scariest moment of my life. This was the worst moment of my life," said Karoline Ross, speaking exclusively with CBS New York.

She and Del Ross spoke with the station while they were en route to New York, after they said their 4,000 passenger cruise ship sailed right into the storm Tuesday night for two harrowing days in ocean swells up to 30 feet. The seasoned boaters called it traumatic.

"When you're on a boat in the middle of the ocean and water is pouring down the stairs, you're thinking 'this is not going to end well," Karoline said.

"Our room was full on two inches of water. The elevator shafts were dripping water everywhere," Del said.

Water poured from the ceiling, as the ship began leaking. Passengers described panic and seasickness on social media. Dozens huddled in the ship's atrium to sleep.

"There were people crying, everyone was throwing up. it was a nightmare," said Olivia Ross. "It was so tilted I was shaking."

The family said there was broken glass everywhere and the showers were exploding.

"I'm completely traumatized. I'll never go on any type of boat again in my life after this," fellow passenger Emma Franzese told CBS New York once the ship docked.

"I was holding on for dear life. I honestly wasn't sure we were going to make it through the night. The boat was tilted like crazy," said passenger Conor Vogt.

"Everything fell off our shelf, glasses broke in the middle of the night. There was no announcement made," passenger Luisa Franzese said.