Around 1900, the Cunard Line faced tight competition from the British White Star Line and the German lines Norddeutscher Lloyd (North German Lloyd) and Hamburg America Line (HAPAG). Cunards largest liners as of 1898, the and , had a reputation for size and speed, both being of 12,950 gross register tons (GRT) and having held the "Blue Riband" for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. However, Norddeutscher Lloyds new liner had taken the Blue Riband from them in 1897, while the White Star Line was planning to place a new 17,000-GRT liner, the , into service. Cunard also updated its fleet during this time, ordering the construction of three new liners, the , , and the "Carpathia".