Singapore-based cruise World Cruises faced yet another setback last Friday morning, when its debut ship, World Legacy, caught fire, with one casualty reported.
The vessel was en route to Singapore when the lounge area on level nine caught fire at about 4am local time.
Passengers were evacuated and transferred to Harbourfront Ferry Terminal, with paramedics and emergency medical technicians on site to support, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
All 271 passengers, including 139 Singaporeans, are safe. Of the 388 members on board, an Indonesian crew was reported to have passed away from the incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Meanwhile, a safety zone has been put up around the vessel while MPA issues navigational broadcasts to advise passing vessels to keep clear from the anchorage zone between Pulau Senang and Pulau Semakau.
This is the most serious incident to date for the Liberia-registered vessel. Retrofitted from the Italian ferry Moby Zaza, World Legacy first launched in 2025 amidst loud publicity as a “flexible offshore leisure destination” and a “one-stop” vessel offering dining, entertainment and nightlife facilities.
When it did finally sail off in late December, it drew widespread criticism from passengers who detailed technical issues such as power outages and faulty lifts, as well as brownish tap water.