Ocean liners & transatlantic travel
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the early twentieth century were grand ocean liners often carrying the rich and famous of the day. Rival shipping companies competed on comfort, luxury, safety and speed. We take a look back at the majestic ships and passengers travelling between Europe and North America before the outbreak of World War II.
After a long series of investigations on 16 different models of new giant Cunarder under construction at Clydebank, the final model was demonstrated in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 7, 1931. (AP Photo)
The Cunard liner 534, later named The Queen Mary, under construction as farmers work in fields nearby in Clydebank, Scotland, on Aug. 24, 1934 . Thousands of men have been at work on the gigantic hull to get her ready for the delicate launching ceremony on the Clyde. (AP Photo/Len Puttnam)
Work is carried on the stern during the building of the Cunarder no. 534, later named Queen Mary, at Clydebank, Scotland, on Sept. 24, 1934. The Cunard Liner's gross tonnage is expected to exceed 73,000 and her turbine machinery to develop 200,000 HP and drive at 30 knots in any weather. (AP Photo/Len Puttnam)
Britain's Queen Elizabeth, centre, waves to the crowds in John Brown Shipyard, along with Princess Elizabeth, right, and Princess Margaret Rose, left, after she named and launched the Cunard Liner Queen Elizabeth, in Clydebank, Scotland, on Sept. 27, 1938. (AP Photo)
The $17,000,000 America, largest passenger ship ever constructed in America is christened at Newport News, Va., Aug. 31, 1939. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is shown smashing a bottle of Champagne on the bow of the 723-foot liner. (AP Photo)
The new Cunard liner, the Queen Mary, slips into the water during her launch at the John Brown Shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland, on Sept. 26, 1934. (AP Photo/Len Puttnam)
Queen Mary starts on maiden voyage (British Movietone/AP Archive)
Huge crowds in Cammell Laird’s shipyard watch the great bulk of the RMS Mauretania launched at Birkenhead, England, on July 28, 1938. (AP Photo/Len Puttnam)
The French liner Normandie streaks her way off Montauk Point, Long Island, N.Y., on the morning of June 3, 1935, travelling to New York Harbor to complete its maiden voyage. (AP Photo)
Ivor Novello seen on board the liner Aquitania in Southampton before sailing to America on Jan. 1, 1936. (AP Photo/Wool)
Film director, Alexander Korda, on the RMS Queen Mary ocean liner on arrival at Southampton, England, on June 14, 1937. (AP Photo)
Actor Douglas Fairbanks on board the liner Aquitania in Southampton, England, before sailing to America, on Jan. 1, 1936. (AP Photo/Wool)
Alexander Woollcott, critic, author and radio commentator, is shown walking up the gangplank, in New York, on Feb. 20, 1936, as he sailed for Europe aboard the liner Majestic on that ship's last scheduled voyage. (AP Photo)
An interior view of the dinner-room on board the liner Normandie, when new, shown in the 1930s. (AP Photo)
A tremendous reception greeted the British liner Queen Mary when it arrived in Southampton, England, on Aug. 31, 1936, after a record breaking trip from New York. She regained for Britain the 'Blue Riband of the Atlantic', and is the first boat to come from New York to Southampton in less than four days with a time of 3 days, 23 hours and 57 minutes. (AP Photo)
Spectators gather to view the luxury French ocean liner Normandie as she is docked in New York City, June 4, 1935. The liner completed her maiden voyage and record run across the Atlantic Ocean on June 3. (AP Photo)
An aerial view of five great trans-Atlantic liners at their piers in New York Harbor on March 24, 1937. Left to right: Europa, Rex, Normandie, Georgic and Berengaria. (AP Photo)
Author Ernest Hemingway and his wife Pauline Pfeiffer are shown as they arrived in New York aboard the liner Paris, April 3, 1934. (AP Photo)
American filmmaker Frank Capra and his wife, Lucille, arrive at Southampton, England, on the Normandie, April 19, 1937. (AP Photo)
German film actress and singer Marlene Dietrich, with her husband Rudolf Sieber, on board the liner Berengaria, in Southampton, England, Jan. 28, 1937, prior to their return to the United States. Marlene had been in England making the film "Knight Without Armour". (AP Photo)
Some of Marlene Dietrich’s luggage, removed from the French liner Normandie by government agents for alleged non-payment of income tax for 1936-37, shown on a New York pier, June 14, 1939. Forty minutes later, Dietrich sailed with all her luggage except “certain quantities of jewelry”, which were kept in escrow. (AP Photo/Murray Befeler)
Claire Luce, the famous American stage and screen star, smokes a cigarette on her arrival on board the Normandie, at Southampton, England, on March 8, 1939. (AP Photo/Wool)
Margaret Rawlings, famous stage star, arrived in Southampton, England, on the liner Georgic on April 26, 1939. She is nursing her leopard cub. (AP Photo)
Scientist Albert Einstein and his wife Elsa shown having lunch aboard the liner Belgenland, as it was docked in New York, USA, on Dec. 11, 1930. (AP Photo)
The liner Majestic being towed into the graveyard at Southampton, on Feb. 27, 1936. (AP Photo/Wool)
Rose Kennedy, wife of the United States Ambassador to Great Britain (right), with her two elder daughters, Kathleen (left) and Eunice, and her son Bobby, pictured upon their arrival in New York from London, on Sept. 18, 1939. They traveled aboard the United States Liner Washington. The ship was jammed with Americans fleeing Europe. (AP Photo/Charles Kenneth Lucas)
The $60 million French liner Normandie, tied up at a Hudson River pier in New York since Aug. 1939, towers over a policeman and three other men, May 15, 1941. The ship was seized today by the U.S. Coast Guard and will be converted for use by the U.S. military. (AP Photo)
Photo editing and text by Katherine O'Mara