From the mid-1890s a race was on between the
merchant navies of the recently unified Germany, Britain
and France. That race was to make the most luxurious and
fastest ocean liners, starting with the Kaiser Wilhelm
der Grosse. The large vessels that followed each tried
to outdo the previous one in terms of size and interior
design. Using many famous interior designers, every part
of the new ships was designed , from the cutlery and
china to the bedrooms to the boat decks. Through
Kronprinzessin Cecilie, Mauretania, Aquitania, Olympic,
Titanic, Imperator, Vaterland, Ile de France, and Paris,
the development and design of the ships grew grander and
more luxurious. The process continued into the 1930s,
with the Empress of Britain and the fabulously Art Deco
Normandie, the finest and most expensive liner ever
built, and the Queen Mary, a rather more traditional
vessel, but one, nonetheless, which pushed the
boundaries of design away from the traditional country
house look of the Edwardian era. Each new vessel brought
with it the finest of interiors and even today, the
influence of these floating palaces can still be seen in
vessels such as Cunard s Queen Mary 2 and the multitude
of new cruise vessels, all vying for the public s
interest and affection. The large liners were truly
floating palaces, and here, William H. Miller brings
together a collection of fabulous images of the finest
ships ever built, showcasing the style and elegance of a
time when getting there was half the fun .
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