Cruise ships embark and disembark passengers at the port.

Between 18 and 28 October, she unloaded mines, embarked passengers, and loaded cargo.

The ship paused there to refuel and to embark passengers for transportation to the United States.

Before she could embark passengers, though, she spotted five enemy bombers approaching from the west.

She arrived in Cape Town on 23 January 1909, embarked passengers, and departed the following day.

She then sailed to London to embark passengers for an inaugural cruise.

There, under hazardous conditions, she embarked more aircraft, cargo and passengers.

She embarked homeward-bound passengers and put to sea again on the 20th.

Shortly before noon the following day, she began embarking civilian passengers for her maiden voyage as a Navy transport.

Arriving the following day, the ship embarked further passengers before sailing for Okinawa on the morning of 6 November.