A Duanesburg family is happy to be home after a vacation they'll never forget. They'd been on the cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy last week. Our Megan Cruz has their story, after flying into Albany early Tuesday morning.

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COLONIE, N.Y. -- "I was so glad to see snow!" said Joan Fleser.

After traveling for the last 24 hours, Fleser and her family are glad to be back home. Here in Albany, New York, not Albany, Georgia.

"After I realized we were booked for Albany, Georgia, that was the straw that almost broke the camel's back," Fleser said.

This mix-up had been Costa Cruises' mistake. Fleser said it's the latest in a list of many, in the four days after their cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Giglio Island in Italy.

Her family recalls what happened last Friday around 9:30 p.m.

"And just as we had our first bite of appetizer, we heard this horrendous grinding noise," said Fleser.

They said the dishes and trays of food started sliding off tables, then, "Finally the lights went out, and that's when everybody started screaming," described Fleser's husband Brian Aho.

The couple and their daughter then made their way up to the deck. They said they struggled with some other passengers for life vests, but were able to secure three.

"It was kind of like the movie Titanic," said Aho. "Cameron got it right."

The three of them said they thought they were going to die.

"Absolutely," said Fleser. "If not from the sinking ship, from the panicking people."

...Who almost separated Alana from her parents when they finally got to a life boat. They said they're a few of the lucky ones.

"There were a lot of people we knew that had to jump or swim for it," said Aho.

Looking back, the Duanesburg family said so many things went wrong.

"The lack of training of the staff who were attempting to help us," said Aho. "They didn't even know how to use the lifeboats."

Also, a lot of misinformation. First they were told it was a generator problem, then, all of a sudden, they said it was time to abandon ship.

And the confusion didn't end there.

"We felt abandoned by the U.S. embassy," said Aho.

Fleser said they did get passports but nothing else - no food, clothing, or housing. She and her family are just glad this vacation is finally over.

"I have to buy some shoes!" said Fleser.

"I hope we don't have a wedding coming up because all my suits are at the bottom of the Mediterranean!" said Aho.

Since the crash, Costa Cruises' CEO has blamed the ship's captain for "errors in judgment," saying he went too close to the coast and didn't follow proper evacuation procedures. At least 11 are dead, and many more are missing.