Every ship has a soul, but the Mauretania had one you could talk to. Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
In 1935, President Roosevelt donated his own large-scale model of the RMS Mauretania to the Smithsonian Institution, where it remains part of the maritime collection. And now another one of Max’s love letters to these wonderful ships.
Her sister was Lusitania; the minute she sank, she became a legend. After her sister sank, Mauretania just kept working and working. There is a parallel to the RMS Olympic, which became a runner-up to her sister, Titanic. Both the Olympic and Mauretania were great ships and worked for decades, unlike their more famous sisters. The ship’s interior is incredible. There are many pictures of this one because she sailed into the 1930s after being launched in 1906. The Edwardian period had great tastes in decor.
The RMS Mauretania was the fastest passenger liner in her era, bar none. She and her sister, RMS Lusitania, would swap out as the fastest ships, but Mauretania would take the record, as we will see. She was built for the Cunard Line during a time when ocean liners were becoming symbols of national pride. Launched in 1906 and entering service in 1907, she was designed to compete with the great German liners that were dominating the Atlantic. Along with her sister ship, she represented the latest in shipbuilding technology. She was powered by steam turbines, an innovation at the time, and quickly proved herself to be one of the fastest ships in the world.
After Cunard came out with Lusitania and Mauretania, White Star Line came out with Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic. The Cunard Line and White Star were something like the Apple and Microsoft of North Atlantic travel. They were enormous rivals, and every new ship was measured against what the other company had built. Beautiful ships came out of this competition.
Not long after entering service, Mauretania captured the Blue Riband (unofficial accolade given to the passenger ocean liner that achieved the fastest average speed on a regular crossing of the North Atlantic) for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. She held the record for more than twenty years! That is an achievement that has never been matched. Passengers were impressed not only by her speed but also by her comfort. Her interiors featured grand public rooms, elegant dining areas, and luxurious accommodations. For many travelers, sailing on Mauretania was just as much about the experience as it was about reaching New York. At the time, she was just as famous as her sister.
When World War I began, Mauretania’s career changed dramatically. Like many large liners, she was called into government service. She served as a troopship and later as a hospital ship. During the Gallipoli campaign and other military operations, she transported thousands of soldiers and wounded personnel. Mauretania survived the war and returned to civilian service.
After the war, Mauretania returned to carrying passengers across the Atlantic and remained popular with travelers. In 1927, she carried Leonard and Phil Chess, two Polish immigrant boys who later built Chess Records. Four years later, Charlie Chaplin sailed aboard her alongside Malcolm Campbell, who had just set a new land-speed record in his Blue Bird automobile. When Mauretania reached Southampton, Campbell learned that King George V had approved his knighthood.
In June 1922, the Marx Brothers crossed the Atlantic aboard the Mauretania on their way to their first British tour. Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo were aboard, years before Hollywood made them household names. They returned to New York aboard White Star’s Cedric the following month.
However, newer ships were beginning to appear. Vessels such as the German Bremen and Europa were faster and more modern. By the early 1930s, Mauretania was showing her age. Although still admired, she could no longer compete with the newer generation of liners entering service.
In 1935, after nearly three decades on the Atlantic, Mauretania was retired and sold for scrap. Many people were saddened by the news. Crowds gathered to see her one last time as she made her final voyage. Today, she is remembered as one of the greatest ocean liners ever built. She combined speed, reliability, and elegance in a way few ships ever have. For many maritime historians, the Mauretania represents the high point of the great Edwardian liners and a time when crossing the Atlantic by ship was an adventure in itself.
Among the small group aboard for Mauretania’s final voyage was an unnamed couple who reportedly had spent their honeymoon on her maiden voyage in 1907. Nearly 28 years later, they returned to say goodbye to the ship that had helped begin their married life.
Olympic was the reliable old friend.
Mauretania was the reliable old friend who raced you home.
A very sad picture. The two were fierce rivals for 24 years, Olympic and Mauretania, heading toward the scrapyard. Olympic is on the left and Mauretania on the right. I’ve come to hate this picture because they should be hotels/museums today, not scrapped and lost to history.
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The opulence is quite stunning. I knew little about her, the celebrity connections were very interesting. Also the competitive nature between Shiplines was much more intense than I would have imagined.
I had heard of her before my interest really kicked in…but never knew anything about her. The rivalry was really something else between the two. Funny thing is…because of the depression…they were made to merge.
Max, one thing we both have learned while writing about these glorious ships is how incredibly large they really were. It’s a cliched comment but they were mind-blowing! As I previously mentioned in my response to your post on the LST 325, the aircraft carrier Intrepid is dwarfed by these amazing luxury liners. The term “floating city” is truly an accurate description. The extravagant beauty of their interiors never fails to give me goosebumps and the Mauretania is certainly no exception. What a gorgeous, elegant ship she was! It was a real pleasure for me to craft my story around a ship that didn’t sink! When I read your posts, I often decide to base my stories/poems on one of your “by the way” bits of information which might otherwise be overlooked. There were two such mentions today and you’ll find out in my post scheduled for tomorrow which one I went with. Thanks once again for keeping us informed and entertained by these fabulous “Old Steam Ships”.
I have found some pictures of these things in dock…they looked almost cartoonish against the people and the dock. This one and Olympic…seeing that picture of them going off to die…is heartbreaking to me. Another shame about those two…they could have been used as a troopships in WW2 of course no one knew in 1935.
Oh cool! I’m looking forward to what you come up with! These probably are not as easy to write about…it’s a shame you have to sink to become famous.
Thanks Nancy!
sad after all of her amazing service and colorful stories
I know…its so sad they couldn’t have turned some of these into museums or hotels like the Queen Mary.
I read these because you have sparked my interest. Today I see two things that are honestly more about you than the ship and I want to call attention to them because they are wonderful.
You called this series “Max’s love letters to these wonderful ships”. I think that is absolutely accurate, and you are successfully sharing the love. I hold myself and my interest in this subject because of you as an example.
You mention some of the famous people to ride the Mauretania, starting with Leonard and Phil Chess. Of course I know who they are. Not as well known as Mr. Chaplin or the Marx Brothers (one wonders if their trip was inspirational?), but Gods in a certain corner. I am humbled and amused to see you pay tribute to that corner. Humbled because I am a member of that crowd and amused because it is heart warming and, well, amusing.
You also mentioned, “she was designed to compete with the great German liners that were dominating the Atlantic.” I know nothing about this domination. Are you going to investigate it?
Finally, I loved the Mauretania was the reliable old friend who raced you home crack. Again, you bring a brilliant sense of humanity to the subject.
Again, thank you, Max. And keep the love letters coming.
Great question! Yes I am going to investigate the German rivalry… Arthur…the funny thing is that some of those great German ships that were built wonderfully…ended up with Cunard and White Star because of the ships they lost in the war…but I will cover it.
I tend to make these ships alive…but I think I figured out why my interest got so huge. The ocean liners I cover…were not mass produced…they were all different…and something I love in life is individualism…like baseball parks…no two are just alike now. I love that part.
Thank you Arthur!
another good writeup. As you say, it’s a shame ships like this weren’t preserved either as hotels or museums. Here’s a question though – it and it seems, most of the competition were gone by the late-’30s yet trans-Atlantic flights only became regular and common around the late-’50s. What did people do in the meantime (’40s, early-50s) to cross the ocean?
The transatlantic ships like the SS United States and the Queen Mary lasted until the end of the 60s…The 1960s was the decade where it really went down…around the 50s they were dropping but still many were out there. Some ships were launched in the late 50s early 60s…so they were there. Dave…I just haven’t done many (they are lined up) of the 1930s-1960s ships yet…they are coming. The Andrea Doria (I did do that one), Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, SS France, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, SS America…
Even in the 1970s they still had a few going.
I can certainly understand them declining in the ’60s, when jet travel became common and likely cheaper (and of course faster) than ships, but you’d think it would have been doing a booming business when it was scrapped. In retrospect it’s remarkable so many ‘tall ships’ of the 19th Century or earlier seem to still exist.
Oh they were Dave…but they were replaced by newer ships. They didn’t want people to think they were sailing on older ships. The Queen Mary replaced the Mauretania…luckily she is a hotel/museum now. One ship lasted 36 years…it went through both World Wars! That one was tired and it needed scrapped. They said that WW1 added 10 years to those ships…because of carrying 6000-7000 soldiers…at once.
It is too bad that they didn’t have a graveyard for all of the old ocean liners that were retired instead of using them for scrap metal.
I totally agree…some of me weeps…and Im not kidding. But it was the depression and people needed jobs but still.
Max, it is a dirty rotten shame that these two beauties weren’t taken out of the water and turned into museums and/or hotels. Hard to accept they were turned to scrap 🙁 Their magnificence will never be seen again.
It sure is Lisa… no that will never be seen again. It doesn’t compare to modern neon color cruise ships…nothing against them…but I would have given a lot just to walk these ocean liners decks.
Max, we need to add them to our TMBLs.
Oh yes! I know the ones that don’t sink! So we are safe.
🙂
We could also visit the ones that did — before they sink — and make sure they don’t. I know, that’s interfering with the past. I don’t care.
Yes…put me on the Titanic…Captain…slow the hell down…and turn!!! I like your idea about the PS General Slocum…light her up the night before.
Max, I could see a book written around this premise.
You are right…that would be good. I would read that book or watch that movie. I would monkey around with time…probably doom us all but I would try. I’ve thought about that…what if a serial killer died on the Titanic? I saved him etc…thats the stuff that comes to my mind.
Truly lavish. Like a posh Victorian hotel afloat.
Yes it was…with a pinch of Edwardian thrown in the mix. Mitch…I really love these ships. They had such character. I try to break up the shipwreck stories with ships that didn’t sink!
Here’s my story, Max:
https://theelephantstrunk.org/2026/10/10/the-last-crossing-the-story-of-thomas-mary-ashworth/
Thank you…I enjoyed that so much!
Wow, this would have really been something to see, so beautiful!
Yes it would Dana…I would give so much to walk on those decks.