President Cleveland originally ordered by the Maritime Commission during World War II, as one of the Admiral-class transport ships, and intended to be serve in the United States Navy with the name USS Admiral D. W. Taylor The ship was laid down on 28 August 1944 at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard in Alameda, California, but was cancelled on 16 December 1944.
Redesigned for commercial passenger service, the ship was launched on 23 June 1946 with the name SS President Cleveland, and she was completed in 1947.
