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Terrifying Video Shows Ship Being Pounded By Massive Waves

'We're underwater on the third floor.'

A newly released video shows the frightening moment a colossal storm hit a Royal Carribean cruise ship.

The ship, Anthem of the Seas, made news in February last year when it travelled into the storm in the Atlantic Ocean, despite a weather warning being issued forecasting the storm days prior.

Fierce 193km/h winds and waves of up to 8 metres lashed the boat, terrifying passengers and causing some minor damage to the vessel.

Probably not the view out the window the third-floor passengers were expecting.
YouTube / Stephen J Burke
Probably not the view out the window the third-floor passengers were expecting.

The video, posted by musician Stephen J Burke -- who says he was meant to be performing for passengers before the rocky ride made that impossible -- shows the ship's lift shaft gushing with water and passengers stumbling down hallways at extreme angles as the ship is tossed around by the huge wave.

The captain halted the ship in an attempt to ride out the storm, which lasted for 14 hours.

Which way is up?
YouTube / Stephen J Burke
Which way is up?

"We're just staying in one place trying not to die," one of the passengers in the video says.

"That is terrifying," another exclaims as a massive wave washes over their window, plunging them into darkness. "We're underwater on the third floor."

The Anthem of the Seas was carrying around 4500 guests and 1600 crew members on course to Port Canaveral in Florida, but ended up having to return to its port in New Jersey.

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