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Passengers on board the Carnival Sunshine cruise ship recently experienced a harrowing ordeal as the vessel was struck by hurricane-force winds. The incident occurred as the ship was returning to Charleston, South Carolina, from The Bahamas over the weekend. 

Disturbing videos shared on social media by passengers depicted the extensive damage and chaos caused by the severe weather conditions.

One particularly alarming video posted on Twitter by the Crew Center account revealed doors torn from their hinges, ruined furniture, and water flooding the hallways and cabins of the Carnival Sunshine.

 The tweet described the scene as the aftermath of a severe storm and mentioned that the crew had sought refuge in the theater, the only area left intact after the havoc wreaked by the tempest.

Hurricane-Force Winds

According to Craig Setzer, a broadcast meteorologist, the ship was hit by nearly 80 mph winds on Saturday morning.

Passengers claim that conditions began to deteriorate on Friday afternoon. 

The captain made an announcement, warning them of possible delays in reaching Charleston due to adverse weather conditions. 

Taylor mentioned that the crew assured the passengers that they would minimize any discomfort caused by the inclement weather. Shortly after the announcement, vomit bags were placed by the elevators.

As the day progressed, the ship encountered increasingly large swells, with crashing sounds heard even over the music at an onboard show.

 The ship's structure was visibly affected, as the stage lights shook, the disco ball swung wildly, and the LED wall on the stage began to roll on its own. During the Friday dinner buffet, plates and cups were sent flying by the ship's violent movements.

Passengers lost internet service. And staff began closing off public deck areas.

By 11:15 p.m., the Carnival Sunshine was hit by winds reaching 80 mph, leading the captain to alter the ship's course directly into the eye of the storm system.

Passengers complain

Passengers became alarmed as they witnessed water leaking from cabin ceilings, and communication with the outside world became impossible as the ship's internet connection failed. The vessel continued to face relentless large swells, causing concern among the passengers. 

The lack of updates from the captain or cruise director left them feeling isolated and uninformed about the ongoing situation. It was not until 7:30 a.m. on Saturday that the cruise director informed everyone that the ship was outside Charleston Harbor but unable to dock due to the adverse weather conditions.

After enduring approximately 15 hours of uncertainty and fear, the Carnival Sunshine finally reached the port at around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. This was nine hours behind schedule.

Throughout the ordeal, passengers took to social media to share their experiences, with some expressing frustration at the lack of communication from the ship's crew.

Passenger, Reid Overcash, was especially critical of the captain's decision to try to outrun the storm. And the best decision would have been to wait it out. Overcash emphasized the lack of communication from the ship's staff during the storm.