Which ship was the first passenger liner to cross the Atlantic in under five days?

RMS Mauretania was the first passenger liner to cross the Atlantic in under five days.

Built for Cunard and launched in 1906, Mauretania was designed to compete with German express liners on the North Atlantic. Her powerful steam turbines drove four propeller shafts, giving her exceptional speed for the period. On a westbound crossing in 1909, she completed the voyage in less than five days and captured the Blue Riband.

Mauretania retained the record for the fastest eastbound and westbound scheduled Atlantic crossings for many years. Her achievement reflected a combination of turbine propulsion, large size, careful hull design, and Cunard’s high-speed service between Europe and New York.

She is often confused with her sister ship Lusitania, which was also a famous Cunard express liner. Both were technological milestones, but Mauretania was the ship that achieved the especially notable under-five-day crossing and held the Blue Riband for a record period.