“IT was hell. The lifeboats were full.”

That was the terrifying reality on board the sinking luxury cruise ship according to a retired accountant from Southampton.

Brian Page, 63, told how he was enjoying some soup in one of the ship’s restaurants when there was “a big bump, a lurch” like it had hit a wave and tables were hurled around the room.

Mr Page described how he dashed to his cabin to get some medicine before scrambling to the deck.

Mr Page, who was travelling alone, said: “The lifeboat was full before I got there. We were told move along to the next one but all the lifeboats were full.”

He said people slid across the deck when the ship, which has 1,500 cabins, five restaurants, 13 bars, five Jacuzzis and four swimming pools, listed.

“We were just holding onto the rails.

The lifeboats were crashing on the side of the ship and tilting towards the sea. The crew were panicking to kick the lifeboats away from the hull and get them down into the water.

There was lots of screaming.

Women and children were not getting any priority at all.

Eventually Mr Page found a low point on the ship where he jumped 4ft into a lifeboat.