--- product_id: 50906237 title: "The 'Big Four' of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016" brand: "mark chirnside" price: "VT123664" currency: VUV in_stock: true reviews_count: 20 url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/50906237-the-big-four-of-the-white-star-fleet-celtic-cedric store_origin: VU region: Vanuatu --- # The 'Big Four' of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016 **Brand:** mark chirnside **Price:** VT123664 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The 'Big Four' of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016 by mark chirnside - **How much does it cost?** VT123664 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/50906237-the-big-four-of-the-white-star-fleet-celtic-cedric) ## Best For - mark chirnside enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted mark chirnside brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The 'Big Four' of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016 - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51O1+trQDOL.jpg) ![The 'Big Four' of the White Star Fleet: Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic Hardcover – 6 Oct. 2016 - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41DiG8zlxmL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent coverage and 271 illustrations. History of 4 ships cleverly ‘dovetailed’ into one book. *by R***K on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2020* As usual with ‘History Press’ the book is beautifully produced, and this one features no less than 271 illustrations in its 185 pages, including quite a few full page views of the ship. This is not, however, done at the expense of the text since Mr Chirnside has much to say and he quite cleverly blends the history of four ships into a seamless and logically arranged narrative. For example the build history of the first three is combined in one chapter whilst another focuses on ‘Adriatic’ which was in many ways quite different, with more public rooms (Turkish baths, etc), many more suites, structural changes to the hull and superstructure and more boilers for greater power.There are eight chapters, which of course cover the history chronologically, and notable events are fully detailed, such as the WW1 torpedo attacks on ‘Celtic’; there is a whole chapter covering her shipwreck in 1928. However lesser known incidents get due mention, including the explosion aboard ‘Adriatic’ in 1922. In David Hutchings book on ‘Mauretania’ there are frequent references to large scale desertions amongst the crew, especially (and unsurprisingly) from the stoke hold, but there is no such comment here. Presumably there was rather less pressure on the men than in the express steamers, but problems must have arisen and it is to be noted that these four remained coal fired through to the end of their careers.The illustrations are superb and ‘groups’ of them cover a single theme, such as General Pershing traveling aboard ‘Baltic’ in 1917. To appreciate these,though, it is necessary to read some very long picture captions, many of which are printed on a small scale - I have to read those with a magnifying glass. There are many interesting photos of interiors, though as usual the third class is rather short changed, not being a feature of much contemporary promotion. ‘Third’ was however very superior for the early 20th century: a few years earlier most Atlantic liners were really emigrant ships employing huge, crude dormitory areas. There are a number of deck plans, some of these being located in the excellent 20 page colour section, but there are no full length profile illustrations and so the exact location of the public rooms and blocks of accommodation within the hull is not always entirely clear.All considered this is an excellent book detailing liners which have never before received such coverage. Locating all those photographs must have entailed much research. Although this is a very fine softback I would have paid the extra for a hardback edition. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended! *by B***T on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 December 2016* Another great book from Mark Chirnside. White Star's Celtic, Cedric, Baltic & Adriatic were impressive and highly successful liners. They are often overlooked, however, since they were not "express" liners and operated on the Liverpool-New Your route. This book goes a long way to rectifying that situation. The in-depth text describes the adventures careers of "The Big Four." The Celtic was damaged twice in World War I and was lucky to survive. Adriatic represented the epitome of ocean liner development for White Star when she entered service in 1907. She had many features that would later be installed in Olympic and Titanic.Highly Recommended! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An absolute gem! *by J***N on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 14 December 2016* Over the last ten or fifteen years, Mark Chirnside has rightfully gained a reputation within the maritime community as being a first-rate historian. As a maritime historian and author myself, I know how difficult it is to turn up new material and follow the trail of evidence to correct conclusions. I've worked with Mark on several projects, and he always manages to help me find some valuable nugget of information that I need, just when I need it. Yet every time I pick up one of Mark's new books, I'm astonished to see what he has managed to put together.So much has been written about the Titanic - and now, although to a lesser extent, her sister ships Olympic and Britannic - that it is easy to forget that they were just three ships of the White Star Line's fleet. Their immediate predecessors, the so-called 'Big Four' liners, have gone largely overlooked except as a footnote to the Titanic tragedy. Not any more. These four ships, so long forgotten, have finally been given they treatment they deserve. Mark has collected a treasure trove of information, first-hand accounts, technical data, photographs, and ephemera on this quartet of liners. The format is beautiful.This isn't a plug for a friend... Mark knows me well enough to know that if I thought it wasn't good, I would say so as tactfully as I could. This book is a real gem, and I'm proud to add it to my collection of maritime volumes.If you like ships, don't hesitate... just pick up a copy. You will be astounded. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/50906237-the-big-four-of-the-white-star-fleet-celtic-cedric](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/50906237-the-big-four-of-the-white-star-fleet-celtic-cedric) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu* *Store origin: VU* *Last updated: 2026-06-05*