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The following year Canadian Pacific decided to make Montreal the Canadian summer terminal port for Empress of Scotland (winter sailings used St John, New Brunswick). Six months in the planning, this required dredging of Montreal harbour to accommodate her draught, and shortening of her masts by 45 feet, in order to pass under Quebec bridge.

The journey from Quebec involved negotiating a 140-mile hazardous, snakelike stretch of the St Lawrence River. Watched by thousand from the shoreline, the Empress made the 10-hour trip on May 13, 1952. Passengers, including the Tottenham Hotspur football team, cheered as the bosun, George Britton, signalled from high in the foremast that she had successfully cleared Quebec Bridge. At around 8pm she arrived safely at her destination, by far the largest ship so far to have reached the port of Montreal. She thus achieved a feat which many were doubtful was feasible -- even George Britton had been dubious. The event was celebrated by a civic reception, at which the Mayor of Montreal invited Captain Duggan to sign the city's 'Golden' book for visiting dignitaries.

A less welcome navigational feat was achieved in March 1954, when the Empress was among ships that had to berth at New York without the aid of tugs, due to a long-shoremen's strike. This was something with which she was not designed to cope, unlike today's highly manoeuvrable liners.

September 1954 saw the maiden voyage of the Cunard liner Saxonia (later Carmania). This was the first of four new 22,000-ton sister ships built specifically for the UK to Canada service. Saxonia made a fast time for the trip, which prompted reported exchanges between officials of Cunard and Canadian Pacific as to which was the faster, Saxonia or Empress of Scotland. In reality there was probably little in it, but the Empress was of course twenty-four years older.