She was launched on 23 July 1910 at the Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Wallsend shipyard.

She was unusual, as she did not have staterooms on the upper deck, instead she had a library, gymnasium and a lounge and smoking room.

[3] Her final crossing from Liverpool to New York was completed on 1 February 1915 at which point she had carried 18,505 passengers to New York (7,096 on her Liverpool service, 11,409 on her Mediterranean service)[4] for a combined total of 71,200 westbound passengers.

Additionally, between Cunard's New York and Boston services, Franconia also carried 26,328 passengers eastbound to Liverpool.

On 4 October 1916, while heading for Salonika, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat UB-47 195 miles east of Malta.