During April and May, she cruised the Mediterranean, spending much time on patrol in Syrian waters, and then steamed for Germany to represent the U.S. at the 20 June opening of the Kiel Canal.

After joining the blockading squadron, she cut the cables off Cienfuegos on 11 May, when many of her sailors and Marines received Medals of Honor, including seaman Anton Olsen.

In company with the auxiliary cruiser Yankee, Marblehead captured the lower part of Guantánamo Bay as a base for the fleet 7 June, and supported the landing of a battalion of Marines there three days later.

Continuing operations in the bay, she helped the pre-dreadnought battleship Texas destroy the Spanish fort on Cayo del Toro on 15 June.

The ship remained in Cuban waters until 2 September, when she sailed for the St. Lawrence River on 20 October to participate in ceremonies opening the Champlain Monument in Quebec.

[6] Marblehead repaired at Boston Navy Yard from 2 November 1898 to 9 February 1899, and, following a brief cruise to the Caribbean, proceeded through the Straits of Magellan 16 June to join the Pacific Squadron on 4 July.

[6] She was recommissioned 10 November 1902, to devote the next four years to cruising along the west coast of North and South America, from Alaska to Chile on training and protocol missions.