When the Cunard Lines' 45,600-ton Aquitania steamed majestically into New York Harbor on her maiden voyage in June 1914, admiring New Yorkers called her "the most beautiful ship in the world." Built at a cost of more than $10 million, the four-stacked* Aquitania, with her nine decks, and quarters for 2,870 passengers, marked a new peak in luxurious ocean travel. But at first she had little time to show off.
Pressed into troopship service in World War I, she used her speed (23 knots) to zigzag alone through submarine-infested waters. She also performed yeoman service in World War II, carrying 384,586...
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