The White Star Line’s Celtic (1901), Cedric (1903), Baltic (1904) and Adriatic (1907), collectively known as the 'Big Four,' served for a combined 110 years. Together they carried around 1.5 million passengers on the Liverpool to New York and Southampton to New York routes during their time in service. Arguably the most successful series of ships the company ever produced, they have been overlooked in maritime literature until now. Here Mark Chirnside relates the history of the 'Big Four,' in many ways the forerunners of the famous 'Olympic' class ships. Features including a gymnasium and Turkish and electric baths were tested on Adriatic before their use on Olympic, Titanic and Britannic. Charting their history from civilian passenger ships to armed merchant cruisers and troop ships in World War I, this book explores the adventures and experiences passengers and crew had on board over the decades.

Mark Chirnside is a well-known maritime researcher and author. He has previously written The ‘Olympic’ Class Ships: Olympic, Titanic & Britannic; RMS Olympic: Titanic’s Sister; RMS Majestic: The ‘Magic Stick’; RMS Aquitania: The Ship Beautiful and Olympic, Titanic & Britannic: An Illustrated History of the ‘Olympic’ Class Ships.