The "Frederik VIII" was built by "Vulcan" Stettiner Maschinenbau A.G., Stettin (no. 332) in 1913 for the (DFDS) Scandinavian American Line. At the delivery she was the largest Scandinavian ship. Her tonnage was 11850 tons gross, 7630 deadweight. She had a length of 159.55m x beam 18,99m (523.5ft x 62.3ft). She had 2 decks and awning deck, two funnels, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 17 knots. There was accommodation for 121 first class, 259 second class and 881 third class passengers. She had a crew of 245.

Launched on 27th May 1913, she left Copenhagen on her maiden voyage to Christiania (Oslo), Christiansand and New York on 5th February 1914. During the crossing she had to call at the Azores for bunkering, due to an unstipulated large coal consumption. In 1920 she was fitted with Anschütz gyro-compass, automatic pilot and course recorder. She was the first commercial ship to have such navigation aids. The automatic pilot was connected to the steering wheel by means of a bicycle chain, and in popular terms this arrangement was called "cykelstyret" (the handle bar).

From December 23rd, 1916 until January 18th, 1917 she was laid up at Copenhagen. On March 12th, 1917 she arrived at Copenhagen from New York and was laid up until November 1918. From December 23rd, 1918 until January 20th 1919 she made five trips Wermünde/Lübeck/Stettin-UK with about 7500 British prisoners of war. On March 18th 1919 she returned to service, and from this date she only called at Christiansand on the return trip from New York to Christiania. On October 31st 1919 she arrived at Philadelphia instead of New York, and left Philadelphia on November 8th 1919 for Christiansand. From 1924 occasionally, and from 1928 until 1932 she regularly called at Halifax.

In November 1926 her accommodation was altered to cabin and 3rd class only, and in October 1929 was refitted to cabin, tourist and 3rd class. She started her last voyage on 22nd November 1935 when she left Copenhagen for Oslo, Christiansand, New York (dep 7th December), Christiansand, Oslo and Copenhagen. In September 1936 she was sold and scrapped at Blyth.