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NEW YORK - A cruise ship struck by a freak seven-story-high wave that smashed windows and sent furniture flying returned to New York Harbor on Monday and sailed up the Hudson River to its dock.

The Norwegian Dawn arrived with more than 2,000 passengers still on board after some 300 others decided to disembark early in Charleston, S.C., and fly or drive home.

The 965-foot white ocean liner was sailing back to New York from the Bahamas when it was struck by a storm Saturday that pounded the vessel with heavy seas and the rogue 70-foot wave.

The wave sent furniture sailing through the air and knocked Jacuzzis overboard. Some passengers slept in hallways in life jackets.

"The ship was hit by a freak wave that caused two windows to break in two different cabins," Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement. It said 62 cabins were flooded and four passengers had cuts and bruises. The wave reached as high as deck 10 on the ship, company spokeswoman Susan Robison said Sunday.

The Norwegian Dawn docked at Charleston for repairs and a Coast Guard inspection before continuing its voyage to New York early Sunday.

Bill and Ellen Tesauro of Wayne, N.J., said they went to the ship's casino when the storm started slamming the vessel.

"We figured it would take our minds off this (and) that's when the captain announced that drinks are free all night," Bill Tesauro told the Daily News of New York. "But then there was another horrendous slap on the water."

The panicked couple returned to their suite.
"A desk went flying across the room," Ellen Tesauro said. "And a glass table toppled down, with glasses and food on it."

Stacy Maryland of Hamilton, N.J., woke up to find shoes and magazines floating in a foot of water.

"I thought I heard water sloshing around, and then I woke up and saw it, and it was surreal," she told the newspaper.

The cruise line said passengers whose cabins were flooded were flown home from Charleston and the safety of the ship "was in no way compromised by this incident."

Each passenger got a refund of half the trip's cost and a voucher for half the price of a future cruise, Robison said.

The ship left New York on April 10 with 2,500 passengers aboard. Robison said about 300 passengers decided not to return by ship from Charleston. About 100 were flown back to New York and the rest made their own arrangements, Robison said.

"I rented a car and drove nine hours," said James Fraley of Keansburg, N.J., who was taking a honeymoon cruise with his wife. "No more time on the Titanic for me."

Ah, and Craig, the English channel doesn't really get rough.

Those were 50mph winds, and rolling waves. LOL

All the more reason to stay in an aircraft carrier.