MS Augustus was a combined ocean liner and cruise ship built in 1926 for the Navigazione Generale Italiana (NGI).

Augustus operated mostly on the Europe to South and North America routes, on the former being one of, if not the largest and fastest liner to sail on regular crossings.

Navigazione Generale Italiana decided to build two new liners of over 30,000 gross registered tons for post war service.

In 1932, Navigazione Generale Italiana was forced by Mussolini to merge with other Italian shipping companies to form the Italia Line.

Before work could be completed, the Kingdom of Italy signed an armistice in 1943, and both ships were shortly thereafter captured by the neoestablished National Republican Navy of the Italian Social Republic, a German puppet state.