Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1926

Passenger lists for 1926 represent the souvenir list provided to the passengers of each cabin class (and other classes). Many of these souvenir passenger lists have disappeared over the years. Our collection primarily covers North American and European ports and ports in Australia and South Africa.

Our collection contains samples of passenger lists produced and printed by the steamship lines. These lists are often used to illustrate family history books for immigrants from this period.

Coveted by collectors and genealogists, souvenir passenger lists often offered beautiful graphical covers and information not found in official manifests because they focused on the journey rather than the destination.

Other 1926 Passenger Lists Available at the GG Archives

• Cunard Line SS Tuscania, 1926-05-14, New York to London via Plymouth and Le Havre, Commanded by Captain William Gemmell
• Cunard Line RMS Tuscania, 1926-06-04, Le Havre to New York via Southampton, Commanded by Captain William Gemmell
• Cunard Line SS Carmania, 1926-07-07, New York to London via Plymouth and Le Havre, Captain F. G. Brown, R.D., R.N.R.
• Cunard Line RMS Lancastria, 1926-08-10, Hamburg to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg, Commanded by Captain R. G. Malin, R.N.R.
• CGT-French Line SS Paris, 1926-09-01, Le Havre to New York via Plymouth, Commanded by Captain Maurras
• Cunard Line RMS Lancastria, 1926-09-10, Le Havre to New York via Southampton, Commanded by Captain R. G. Malin, R.N.R.

Passenger Lists By Year Continued

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• 1925
• 1926
• 1927
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Please help us make our passenger list collection more complete. We would appreciate a digital copy if you have an 1926 souvenir passenger list. Please email us at history@ggarchives.com.

Recap and Summary of the Ellis Island Passenger Lists - 1926

The Ellis Island Passenger Lists for 1926 reflect a transforming era in transatlantic and global ocean travel. With immigration to the U.S. continuing to decline due to restrictive laws, passenger liners shifted toward leisure, tourism, business, and elite travel.

Notably, this year saw high-profile celebrities and business figures traveling on Cunard and other major liners, furthering the glamorization of ocean liners as the preferred mode of travel for the wealthy and influential.

 

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Key Themes in 1926 Ocean Travel

1. The Rise of Celebrity and Business-Class Travel

Ocean travel in 1926 increasingly catered to the wealthy and famous, marking a shift from immigration transport to high-profile luxury travel.

• RMS Berengaria (September 1926) carried delegates of the British International Advertising Convention, showcasing the importance of business travel on luxury liners.
• Film star Madge Bellamy arrived on Berengaria, demonstrating Hollywood's growing connection with ocean liner travel.
• Golfer Bobby Jones traveled on RMS Aquitania, highlighting ocean liners as a mode of transport for sports and cultural icons.

 

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2. Expansion of Cruise and Leisure Voyages

• The SS Transylvania (January 30, 1926) embarked on a luxury cruise from New York, stopping in Madeira, Spain, the Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey, and Egypt before returning.
• The SS Orca (June & July 1926) featured student tourist voyages, showing a rise in academic and educational ocean travel.
• The SS President Van Buren (September 30, 1926) undertook a massive world cruise from New York to Shanghai, stopping at ports in Havana, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

These cruises emphasized the transition from immigration travel to leisure and education-focused voyages.

 

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3. Germany's Return as a Major Transatlantic Competitor

• Following its setbacks from World War I reparations, Germany’s Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) and North German Lloyd (NGL) made a strong comeback:
  • SS Albert Ballin (January & August 1926) – Hamburg to New York
  • SS Bremen (February 1926) – Bremen to New York
  • SS Columbus (April 1926) – Bremen to New York
  • SS Deutschland (July 1926) – Hamburg to New York
  • SS Westphalia (August 1926) – Hamburg to New York and Boston

This reestablishment of Germany's shipping industry signaled a resurgence of competition against British and American ocean liners.

 

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4. Continued Growth of "Tourist Third Cabin" Class

• Tourist Third Cabin expanded in 1926, as ships adapted to middle-class travelers seeking affordability.
• The SS Majestic (June 5, 1926) and SS Belgenland (September 3, 1926) both catered to tourist third-class travelers looking for an affordable alternative to first and second class.
• The White Star Line’s Homeric (August 25, 1926) also introduced tourist third cabin accommodations.
• Affordable yet comfortable travel options expanded, targeting budget-conscious tourists and students.

 

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5. U.S. Shipping Dominance with the SS Leviathan

• The United States Lines continued to challenge European shipping giants.
• The SS Leviathan (August 10 & September 21, 1926) was the largest U.S. ocean liner, offering luxury accommodations and tourist-class options to compete with European liners.

By 1926, the U.S. was solidifying its reputation in transatlantic shipping, especially in high-end passenger travel.

 

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Notable Passenger Ships from 1926

1. SS Transylvania (Anchor Steamship Line) – 30 January 1926

• Route: Luxury cruise from New York to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ports
• Stops: Madeira, Spain, Gibraltar, Athens, Istanbul, Haifa, Alexandria, Monte Carlo, and Cherbourg
• Commander: Captain D. W. Bone
• Significance:
  • Marked the rise of long-distance cruise tourism.
  • Catered to upper-class Americans seeking exotic travel.

 

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2. SS President Van Buren (Dollar Steamship Line) – 30 September 1926

• Route: New York to Shanghai via Havana, Panama Canal, California, Hawaii, Japan, and Southeast Asia
• Commander: Captain M. Ridley
• Significance:
  • One of the longest voyages of the year, spanning multiple continents.
  • Demonstrated the globalization of ocean travel beyond the transatlantic route.

 

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3. SS Leviathan (United States Lines) – 10 August & 21 September 1926

• Route: Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
• Commander: Captain Herbert Hartley, USNR
• Significance:
  • Continued to be America’s flagship liner, competing with Britain’s best.
  • Attracted first-class passengers and high-end business travelers.

 

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4. SS Albert Ballin (Hamburg America Line) – January & August 1926

• Route: Hamburg to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer and Southampton
• Commander: Captain Wiehr
• Significance:
  • Part of Germany’s revival of transatlantic shipping after World War I.

 

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5. SS Columbus (North German Lloyd) – 8 April 1926

• Route: Bremen to New York via Southampton and Cherbourg
• Commander: Captain N. Johnsen
• Significance:
  • One of Germany’s largest and most advanced passenger ships of the era.

 

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6. RMS Berengaria (Cunard Line) – September 1926

• Route: Southampton to New York via Cherbourg
• Commander: Captain W. R. D. Irvine, R.D., R.N.R.
• Significance:
  • Carried prominent business figures attending the British Advertising Convention.
  • Transported film star Madge Bellamy, showcasing ocean liners’ role in Hollywood travel.

 

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7. SS Belgenland (Red Star Line) – 3 September 1926

• Route: Antwerp to New York via Boulogne-sur-Mer and Southampton
• Class of Passengers: Tourist Third Cabin
• Commander: Captain Th. Howell
• Significance:
  • One of the leading liners offering affordable tourist travel in 1926.

 

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Key Historical Events That Affected Ocean Travel in 1926

1. Expansion of Transpacific Shipping

• The Dollar Steamship Line introduced new services from the U.S. to Asia, seen in the SS President Van Buren’s global voyage.
• This marked the growth of transpacific commerce and tourism.

 

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2. The Rise of Cruise and Luxury Travel

• The SS Transylvania’s Mediterranean cruise was a sign of luxury ocean travel evolving beyond the Atlantic.
• The student cruises on the SS Orca reflected growing interest in educational voyages.

 

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3. Germany's Return to Transatlantic Competition

• With ships like SS Bremen, SS Columbus, and SS Deutschland, Germany re-emerged as a powerhouse in global shipping.

 

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4. The Continued Growth of Tourist Class Travel

• Middle-class travel increased, with affordable “tourist third cabin” options on ships like RMS Homeric and SS Majestic.

 

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Conclusion – 1926: A Year of Transformation in Ocean Travel

• Ocean liners were no longer just for immigration—they were now for business, leisure, and tourism.
• Celebrity and high-profile travelers dominated the headlines.
• Cruise travel and educational voyages expanded, foreshadowing the growth of the cruise industry.
• Germany reasserted itself as a major transatlantic shipping power.

By 1926, ocean liners had fully transitioned from immigration carriers to the height of luxury, adventure, and business travel.