Centurion was the first of the sisters to be completed and she became flagship of the China Station in 1894.
Barfleur was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1895, and in February 1897 she became part of the International Squadron, a multinational force made up of ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, French Navy, Imperial German Navy, Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina), Imperial Russian Navy, and Royal Navy that intervened in the 1897–1898 Greek Christian uprising against the Ottoman Empire′s rule in Crete.
She joined her sister on the China Station in 1898 and became the flagship of the station's second-in-command.
During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, both ships contributed landing parties to participate in the Battles of the Taku Forts and of Tientsin.

The sisters returned home in 1901 and Centurion began her reconstruction that lasted until 1903.
Barfleur was briefly placed in reserve in 1902 before she began her reconstruction later that year.
Centurion rejoined to the China Station in 1903 and sailed for home in 1905 after the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance eliminated any need for British battleships in the Far East.
Barfleur returned to reserve after her reconstruction was completed in 1904, although she did participate in that year's manoeuvres.
The following year, the ship was briefly recommissioned to take a replacement crew to the Far East and then became flagship of the Portsmouth Division of the Reserve Fleet upon her return.
She was joined in that unit by Centurion when she arrived in 1905.
The sisters remained in reserve until they were listed for sale in 1909 and sold for scrap the following year.
Centurion was the first of the sisters to be completed and she became flagship of the China Station in 1894. Barfleur was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1895, and in February 1897 she became part of the International Squadron, a multinational force made up of ships of the Austro-Hungarian Navy, French Navy, Imperial German Navy, Italian Royal Navy (Regia Marina), Imperial Russian Navy, and Royal Navy that intervened in the 1897–1898 Greek Christian uprising against the Ottoman Empire′s rule in Crete. She joined her sister on the China Station in 1898 and became the flagship of the station's second-in-command. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, both ships contributed landing parties to participate in the Battles of the Taku Forts and of Tientsin.
The sisters returned home in 1901 and Centurion began her reconstruction that lasted until 1903. Barfleur was briefly placed in reserve in 1902 before she began her reconstruction later that year. Centurion rejoined to the China Station in 1903 and sailed for home in 1905 after the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance eliminated any need for British battleships in the Far East. Barfleur returned to reserve after her reconstruction was completed in 1904, although she did participate in that year's manoeuvres. The following year, the ship was briefly recommissioned to take a replacement crew to the Far East and then became flagship of the Portsmouth Division of the Reserve Fleet upon her return. She was joined in that unit by Centurion when she arrived in 1905. The sisters remained in reserve until they were listed for sale in 1909 and sold for scrap the following year.
Centurion-class battleship