In the clip, the vessel – carrying up to 4,000 passengers – is battered by 30ft waves as it sails into the winter “bomb cyclone” wreaking havoc in the United States.
The enormous waves are accompanied by howling winds as the impact of Storm Grayson takes hold.
Now safely on land, traumatised passengers have revealed how they “held on for dear life” and one woman even described the incident as the “scariest moment of her life”.
SG
“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 Ross
Water filled the cabins as people huddled together, cried and vomited as scenes of panic took hold.
The Norwegian Cruise Line ship was sailing in the Atlantic Ocean from the Bahamas to New York when the storm hit earlier this week.
Karoline Ross was on board with 21 members of her family as they visited the Bahamas for an 80th birthday celebration.
She told CBS New York: "I thought I'd never be in a situation where I would say that's the scariest moment of my life, but this was the worst moment of my life.
"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.”
Storm Grayson freezes US in freak 'BOMB BLIZZARD'
@vagabond_club
Del Ross added: "Our room was full of two inches of water. The elevator shafts were dripping water everywhere."
The company said in a statement: "During the early morning hours of January 4, Norwegian Breakaway encountered stronger than forecasted weather conditions due to winter storm Grayson during the trip's return to New York from the Bahamas.
"All guests and crew are safe.
"We sincerely apologise to our guests for these stronger than expected weather conditions and any resulting discomfort they may have experienced."
At least 11 people have died and millions of children were kept off school this week as Storm Grayson crippled states as far south as Florida and South Carolina.