Torrential rains drench Carnival Sunrise, trigger panic among passengers prior to PortMiami return – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MIAMI (WSVN) – A cruise ship got soaked after getting hit with some nasty weather, triggering panic among some passengers.

Cellphone video captured rain falling on the Carnival Sunrise, then making its way inside the ship, as it returned to PortMiami last weekend.

It was the final day of a five-day Caribbean cruise, at a time when torrential rains had battered South Florida.

Passengers on board the ship were felt the inclement weather as well.

Passenger D.I.A.GO said he was jolted out of bed in the middle of the night.

“We were awakened by some random lady running up and down the hallways, banging on people’s doors, saying, ‘Hey, hey! The boat might be sinking, the boat is sinking. There’s water everywhere, put on your life jackets.’”

D.I.A.GO shared video with 7News featuring soaked carpets and carpets with puddles of water.

“When I saw water pouring out of the elevators, I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, we’re about to die,’” he said.

Frightened passengers made their way through the soaked hallways, only to find more water falling from the ceiling and down a stairwell.

“Water was just streaming down, stairs were flooded,” said D.I.A.GO. “At this time, almost everybody on our floor had on life jackets, so that really freaked me out.”

In a statement, a spokesperson with Carnival Cruise Line told 7News:

“Carnival Sunrise encountered heavy rain while the ship returned to Miami… Our Guest Care team followed up with guests this week, sending a letter and issuing a credit for those inconvenienced.”

The cruise line also said some of the staterooms aboard the vessel were taken out of service to replace the waterlogged carpet for the Sunrise’s next voyage.

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