Editing RMS Olympic (section)

==== Last years ====
The shipping trade was badly affected by the Great Depression. Until 1930 there had generally been around one million passengers a year on the transatlantic route, but by 1934 this had dropped by more than half. Furthermore, by the early 1930s, increased competition emerged, in the form of a new generation of larger and faster liners such as Germany's {{SS|Bremen|1928|6}} and {{SS|Europa|1928|6}}, Italy's {{SS|Rex}} and France's {{SS|Île de France}}, and the remaining passengers tended to prefer the more up-to-date ships. ''Olympic'' had averaged around 1,000 passengers per journey until 1930, but this declined by more than half by 1932.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|pp=121–131}}

''Olympic''{{'}}s running mate {{RMS|Homeric|3=2}} was withdrawn from the transatlantic route as early as 1932, leaving only ''Olympic'' and {{RMS|Majestic|1914|2}} maintaining White Star Line's Southampton-New York service, although this was occasionally augmented during the summer months by either {{MV|Britannic|1929|6}} or {{MV|Georgic|1932|6}}.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=135}} During slack periods in the summer, ''Olympic'' and fleet mate ''Majestic'' were employed in summer recreational cruises from New York to [[Pier 21]] in Halifax, Nova Scotia.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20141109020615/http://www.ocean-liners.com/ships/bismarck.asp "SS ''Bismarck''/RMS ''Majestic''", ''Monsters of the Sea: The Great Ocean Liners of Time'']}}</ref>

At the end of 1932, with passenger traffic in decline, ''Olympic'' went for an overhaul and refit that took four months. She returned to service on 5 March 1933 described by her owners as "looking like new." Her engines were performing at their best and she repeatedly recorded speeds in excess of {{cvt|23|knots}}, despite averaging less than that in regular transatlantic service. Passenger capacities were given as 618 first class, 447 tourist class and only 382 third class after the decline of the immigrant trade.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=127}}

Despite this, during 1933 and 1934, ''Olympic'' ran at a net operating loss for the first time. ''Olympic''’s Grand Staircase was painted avocado green along with pathways and pillars and the yellow line at the hull was lowered to look more similar to ''Majestic'' and ''[[RMS Homeric (1913)|Homeric]]'' during a 1933 refit. 1933 was ''Olympic''{{'}}s worst year of business – carrying just over 9,000 passengers in total.<ref>{{cite book|last=Chirnside|first=Mark|title=The 'Olympic' Class Ships|year=2011|publisher=The History Press|isbn=978-0-7524-5895-3|pages=357}}</ref> Passenger numbers rose slightly in 1934, but many crossings still lost money.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=135}}