A fire broke out on the World Legacy cruise ship on Friday, February 20, 2026, killing one Indonesian crew member and hospitalizing at least four passengers. The deceased crew member joined the World Legacy only a couple of months ago.
The fire originated at roughly 4:00 a.m. in a lounge area of the ship while it was en route to Singapore. Singapore firefighters extinguished the fire around “lunchtime” according to one crew member.
All 271 passengers were evacuated to HarbourFront Ferry Terminal in Singapore.
The ship’s maiden voyage was just two months ago in December 2025 and was marred by a string of reported failures, which included brown-colored tap water, power and water disruptions, and non-operational elevators. A spokesperson described the ship as being in a “testing phase” when asked for comment.
If a cruise ship cannot reliably deliver clean water and working elevators during a maiden voyage, it begs the question how dependable it’s fire detection and suppression systems are two months later.
Cruise ship fires are not rare occurrences. According to cruise expert Dr. Ross Klein, between 1990 and 2011, there were 79 fires aboard cruise ships.
World Cruises, the operator of the World Legacy, said in a statement, “We extend our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones and are in contact with the family to provide support during this difficult time.”
The cause of the fire on the World Legacy remains under investigation.