BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Scary moments at sea. A ship with more than 5,000 passengers sails right into a storm, leaving people on board frightened–in fear for their lives.

Ava-joye Burnett spoke with a Maryland man still stuck on the ship.

That man is from Bethesda. Once the ship started rocking in the Atlantic, he said some crew members started to cry.

Storm force winds and waves at least 30-feet high beat up Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas. More than 5,000 passengers had to hold on tight.

“We are lucky to be alive,” said Peter Aloupis, from Bethesda.

Aloupis was with his sister. She recorded video from their room on the third floor.

“It was crazy. We were actually attending a show, and they interrupted the show and ordered us all back to our cabins and then the boat started tilting,” said Aloupis. “It must have been 30 or 40 degrees.”

Right now, the ship is headed back to its home port in New Jersey.

“My natural reaction was, ‘Really? Did that really happen'” said Paula Dozier Jr., DTS Midway Vacations.

Travel agent Paula Dozier says an event like this is almost unheard of.

“And we tell people cruising is safe and you should not deter any plans to go cruising because of this one incident,” she said.

At least four days before, the National Weather Service issued an alert that there was trouble on the seas. Now a lawmaker wants an investigation into why the ship still set sail.

That same question is now coming from the passengers on the ship, who can’t wait to get back on dry land.

“The ship is absolutely beautiful. I guess the only complaints I would have is the decision-making of the captain to put us at risk,” Aloupis said. “I hope that gets addressed somehow with Royal Caribbean and this never happens to anyone again.”

The cruise line said the winds the captain ran into were stronger than initially forecasted.

The Anthem of the Seas should arrive in New Jersey on Wednesday.

All the guests on board will receive full refunds and credits toward future cruises.