US Resident Details Journey on Storm-Battered Cruise Ship

— -- Ada Rojas was relieved to be on dry, stable land again.

Rojas, a 25-year-old art gallery associate hailing from New York City, was working in the art gallery on a Carnival Spirit cruise ship that was stuck at sea because of 30-foot waves off of Australia’s coast. The ship finally docked in Sydney Harbor Wednesday, about 24 hours later than expected.

Rojas, speaking to ABC News in a Skype interview, said the waves broke some of the ship’s windows and damaged items such as satellite dishes, along with frames and artwork. The ship’s passengers were forced to get creative and resourceful because of the choppy conditions, she said.

“I was too scared to leave my room,” Rojas said. "Even trying to walk down the corridors, it was very hard. You kind of had to stabilize yourself and hold on to what you could."

With the waves so high, water was seeping onto the ship. Crew members tried to soak up the excess water. Rojas said she spent as much time as she could in her cabin.

“It was so rocky, a lot of the closet doors in my cabin were opening. As the ship listed on one side, the drawers would open. When it listed on the other side, they would close,” Rojas said. “At one point, my TV fell and broke off my shelf because I didn’t secure it. I didn’t think the waves would be that strong.”

Before encountering choppy seas, the passengers traveled to New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji during what was supposed to be a 12-day trip.

After the ship docked, Rojas said she was thankful -- and hopeful that her next adventure won’t be so rocky.