MS Pride of Calais was built in 1987 for Townsend Thoresen and launched on 11 April of that same year.
At the time, they were the biggest ferries to serve the Dover-Calais route.

She and her sister ship Pride of Dover were very successful, carrying more passengers across the Channel than any other previous ship.
Pride of Calais was the first vessel to appear in the livery of the new company, P&O European Ferries (Dover) Limited, re-branded followed the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.

In 2007 having just left dry dock at Falmouth, she made a visit to Belfast, having discovered technical problems.
It was discovered that there was damage to the bow end of the vessel below the waterline.
She arrived at Belfast at midday on 16th February to examine and repair the damage to her forward rudder skeg which was taking in water.
Belfast was chosen due to the unavailability of more local facilities which were able to accommodate the vessel at the short notice needed due to the urgency of the repair.
This was the only time either Pride of Calais of her slightly older sister, Pride of Dover visited Belfast or the Irish Sea.
MS Pride of Calais was built in 1987 for Townsend Thoresen and launched on 11 April of that same year. At the time, they were the biggest ferries to serve the Dover-Calais route.
She and her sister ship Pride of Dover were very successful, carrying more passengers across the Channel than any other previous ship. Pride of Calais was the first vessel to appear in the livery of the new company, P&O European Ferries (Dover) Limited, re-branded followed the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster.
In 2007 having just left dry dock at Falmouth, she made a visit to Belfast, having discovered technical problems. It was discovered that there was damage to the bow end of the vessel below the waterline. She arrived at Belfast at midday on 16th February to examine and repair the damage to her forward rudder skeg which was taking in water. Belfast was chosen due to the unavailability of more local facilities which were able to accommodate the vessel at the short notice needed due to the urgency of the repair. This was the only time either Pride of Calais of her slightly older sister, Pride of Dover visited Belfast or the Irish Sea.
MS Pride of Calais