SS Fürst Bismarck ( 1890 ) The first SS " Fürst Bismarck " was an ocean liner built in 1890 by AG Vulcan for the Hamburg America Line . A steamship of 8 , 430 gross tons , it was assigned to transatlantic crossings between Hamburg Germany and New York , USA . " Fürst Bismarck " and the sister ships were part of an express fleet that usually made the trip in five to six days . HAPAG ' s Express Fleet . The fleet of twin - screw express steamships operated between New York to Plymouth , Cherbourg and Hamburg , and from Hamburg , Southampton , and Cherbourg to New York . The fleet consisted of the SS " Augusta Victoria " and the SS " Fürst Bismarck " , built by the Vulcan Shipbuilding Company at Stettin , the SS " Columbia " , built by Laird Brothers , in Birkenhead , near Liverpool , and the SS " Normannia " , built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , in Glasgow . With these vessels the company maintained a weekly Transatlantic express service , offering the public the convenience of safe and comfortable travel between America and the European Continent . Design . The " SS Fürst Bismarck " was designed with five decks constructed of steel and teak . The three funnels rose above the hurricane deck . The ship also had two masts , but without yards . Each side of the ship was subdivided into numerous watertight compartments . The hull of the ship had a double bottom , the space between divided into chambers , which could be filled with water or emptied by means of automatic pumps , thus increasing or decreasing the draught at will , and guarding the ship from grounding . The enormous engines [ were ] of 6000 to 8000 horsepower each . The screws are of manganese bronze , with three or four blades . First class deck state rooms , located mid - ship , were 7 to 9 feet in width , with elaborate furnishings . Separate saloons for men and women allowed for privacy , smoking ( gentlemen only ) , and conversation . The Second class rooms were on the same level as first class , but with most rooms located fore and aft , with smaller rooms and their own saloons . The steerage was directly below the Second Cabin ; separate compartments housed single men , women , and families . Dimensions . The ship was 502 . 6 feet long , and 57 . 6 feet in breadth , and measured 8 , 430 gross tons . Machinery . The vessels ' s machinery was duplicated , with two distinct sets of boilers , engines , shafts and screws , both sets working independently of each other . A longitudinal bulkhead divided the vessel into two non - communicating halves , each of which was fully equipped to propel the ship . Contemporary advertising promoted this design as safer than a single boiler compartment because of its numerous watertight compartments , and the ability of the ship to propel itself even if one side was disabled . Service . Launched on November 29 , 1890 , the ship made its maiden run from Hamburg to New York , via Southampton ( England ) , on May 8 , 1891 . In the service of Hamburg America line ( HAPAG ) on September 27 , 1894 , 5 days , 18 hours , 10 minutes , with Captain Adolph Albers ( 1843 – 1902 ) at the helm . Albers , later Commodore of the Hamburg America fleet , held several speed records for trans Atlantic crossings before his death at the helm of the SS " Deutschland " in 1902 . Between its maiden journey and 1894 , the ship made 14 & nspb ; crossings , predominantly as an immigrant ship , and carrying American travelers to Europe on the return journey . On July 4 , 1894 , in honor of its many crossings and " in memory of Muhlenberg , Herkimer , Steuben and Dekalb , " the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Columbia Liberty Bell Company presented the ship , and its Captain , with a replica of the Liberty Bell , requesting that the ship ' s captain ordered it to be rung when the ship came in sight of the Navesink Highlands ( by day ) or Navesink Twin Lights ( by night ) . After 1894 , it was occasionally in use as a luxury cruise ship . HAPAG commissioned a second SS Fürst Bismarck ( 1905 ) in 1905 . In 1904 , the ship became the auxiliary cruiser the " Don " in the Russian Navy . In 1906 , she was assigned to the Russian Volunteer Fleet with the name " Moskva " . In 1913 , she became a depot ship in the Austrian Navy , the " Gaea . " The vessel was seized by Italy during the First World War , rebuilt , and renamed " San Guisto " . She was scrapped in Italy in 1924 .