She was built in 1981 by Götaverken, Gothenburg, Sweden, and first entered service in 1982 as MS Prinsessan Birgitta for Stena Sessan Line.

After Stena acquired Sessan they cancelled the order for the new ship, and the shipyard were forced to complete her on their own account.

[1] Prior to entering service with Sealink, Prinsessan Birgitta was rebuilt at Götaverken with additional cabin facilities, renamed MS St Nicholas and registered under the flag of the United Kingdom, with London as her home port.

[1] In 1989, St Nicholas was sold again, this time to the Sweden-based Rederi AB Gotland, who continued to charter the ship to Sealink.

[1][3] In January 1991 St Nicholas was rebuilt at Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed MS Stena Normandy.

[citation needed] In 1999 Rederi AB Gotland sold her to Irish Ferries and during the same year she was re-registered to Hamilton, Bermuda.

[1][3] In February 2004 the ship was out of traffic for four days due to a conflict between Irish Ferries and their employees on board.

[1] On 5 November 2007, the Normandy sailed from Rosslare to Fredericia, Denmark,[1] where she was laid up until sold to the Singapore-based oil service company Equinox Offshore Accommodation on 28 January 2008.