SS President Coolidge continued from Manila via Singapore, the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea, New York City, the Panama Canal and thence back to San Francisco. "President Hoover" and "President Coolidge" were aimed at holiday makers seeking sun in the Pacific and Far East. Passenger luxuries included spacious staterooms and lounges, private telephones, two saltwater swimming pools, a barbers' shop, beauty salon, gymnasium and soda fountain. "President Coolidge" broke several speed records on her crossings between Japan and San Francisco. In December 1937 "President Hoover" ran aground on the Taiwanese coast and was declared a total loss. Dollar Steamship Lines was increasingly in
SS President Coolidge between Japan and Britain deteriorated in 1940, "President Coolidge" helped to evacuate US citizens from Hong Kong. As Japanese aggression expanded, "President Coolidge" took part in evacuations from other parts of east Asia. In 1941 the threat of war increased and the US War Department began to use "President Coolidge" for occasional voyages to Honolulu and Manila. In June 1941 "President Coolidge" became a troopship, reinforcing garrisons in the Pacific. On December 7, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and on December 19 "President Coolidge" evacuated 125 critically injured naval patients from Hawaii, cared for by three hastily assigned Navy nurses