1905 – 1932 / Partially an experimental ship, the Carmania was fitted with turbines to test their feasibility. While never a record-breaker herself, she paved the way for the famous greyhounds Lusitania and Mauretania.
cunard line
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1907 – 1915 / The first of Cunard’s two stunning greyhounds, the Lusitania’s life was tragically cut short during World War I, when she was torpedoed and sunk with great loss of life.
1907 – 1934 / The legendary Mauretania saw an amazing career during peace as well as war, and held the Blue Riband for more than 20 years. She became one of the most famous Cunard ships of all time.
1911 – 1916 / Commissioned as a slightly less glamorous support ship to her larger fleet mates, the Franconia served her Cunard owners well until she was torpedoed and sunk off Malta during World War I.
1913 – 1938 / Also known as Berengaria / The first of Germany’s great pre-war trio, their defeat in World War I saw the ship transferred to Cunard ownership and given a new name. She flew the British flag for the rest of her career, and was sold to Jarrow shipbreakers in 1938.
1914 – 1950 / A unique vessel in the Cunard fleet, the Aquitania was commissioned as a larger but slightly slower companion to the Mauretania and Lusitania. She enjoyed a long, profitable career and saw military service in two world wars.
1923 – 1956 / An intermediate Cunarder without the flair of her larger fleetmates, the second Franconia entered service in the years between the world wars. She served with distinction in both peace and war, before being sent to the breakers in 1956.
1936 – Present Day / Perhaps the most famous ship of all time, rivalled only by the Titanic, Queen Mary was the national symbol that inspired Great Britain’s struggle out of the great depression. She performed invaluable trooping duties during World War II, commanded the North Atlantic in the 50s, and is still with us today in Long Beach, California.
1939 – 1965 / Part of a new breed of Cunarders, the second Mauretania saw just a few months of service before being called up for use as a troop transport. After the war, she had a prosperous career doing crossings and cruises, but was eventually sold for scrap when passengers abandoned liners in favour of air travel.
1940 – 1973 / Queen Elizabeth did not see passenger service until after World War II, during which she provided invaluable service as a troop transport. In peacetime, ‘Lizzie’ ran in tandem with Mary, earning Cunard a fortune. Sadly, her life came to an end in 1973 when she was destroyed by fire in Hong Kong harbour.