Haiti's keel was laid 4 April 1932 at Newport News Shipbuilding with launch on 17 September and delivery on 15 December, less than a month after delivery of her sister ship on 17 November 1932.
Capacity was for 134 first and 24 tourist class passengers with first class spaces done in a "modern Spanish" motif with first class accommodations having twin beds and designed to meet hotel standards of the time.