Passengers capture moment cruise ship is pummeled by 30-foot waves


A Royal Caribbean cruise ship was to dock in Port Canaveral, Florida, Monday, following an encounter with a severe storm.

It is now returning to its homeport in New Jersey, according to Royal Caribbean's Twitter page.

The more than 4,500 passengers were locked down in their cabins for hours during the strongest part of the storm, CBS News reported.

The ship also carries 1,600 crew members.

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The strong storm hit the Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas hard off the coast of the Carolinas as it was en route to Port Canaveral after a six-day trip from New York.
The ship trudged through winds of more than 100 mph, according to WFTV's meteorologist Brian Shields.

Royal Caribbean said there was some damage to public areas and cabins, but the ship is seaworthy. At least four people were hurt.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has not received any calls for assistance from the Anthem of the Seas.

"After seeing pictures and people's comments on Twitter and other social media platforms, the U.S. Coast Guard contacted the Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas to check in. The ship said that everything was fine, and no distress calls have been issued. The ship was caught in the storm off the shore of Charleston. There are 40 plus knot winds and large swells. The USCG will continue to monitor the situation," said U.S. Coast Guard Southeast representative Mark Barney.

Royal Caribbean released this statement Monday morning: "On Sunday, February 7, while sailing to Port Canaveral, Florida, Anthem of the Seas experienced extreme wind and sea conditions, with wind speeds higher than what was forecasted.  In an abundance of caution, the captain asked all guests to stay in their stateroom until the weather improved. At this time there have not been any serious injuries reported. The ship has sustained some damage to the public areas and guest staterooms, which in no way affect the sea-worthiness of the ship."