Few ships have a history as varied and dramatic as MS Sunnhordland. The ship is a living cultural monument that for eighty years has taken part in wars, been the lifeblood of the west coast and created experiences for tourists in the Gulf of Finland.

The history of MS Sunnhordland starts far away from Sunnhordland and Norwegian fjords. The ship was built by the US Navy in Chicago, USA in 1943. The name was USS PCE-830, and the ship was part of the war effort.

During the Second World War, MS Sunnhordland sailed for the British Navy and had its home port in Gibraltar. The ship was used as an escort vessel and submarine destroyer along the west coast of Africa until the end of the war, when Hardanger Sunnhordlandske D/S bought the ship and brought it to Norway in 1947. It was converted into a car and passenger ferry at Bergen Mekaniske Verkstader in 1948.

As MS Sunnhordland, the ship became a symbol of modernisation and progress in Western Norway. With room for 13 cars, 780 passengers and freight, it travelled between Bergen, Stord, Tittelsnes, Ølen, Etne, Skånevik and Kvinnherad on the main route between the city and the surrounding area.

The boat was used extensively by both businesses and rivatpersonar.
During this period, MS Sunnhordland was known for its high level of comfort and good service. For many, this is the true heyday, when the ship was a floating meeting place for the local community.

In the spring of 1974, the ship was sold, converted into a cruise ship and named MS Kristina Brahe. For almost 40 years, the cruise ship operated in the Gulf of Finland between Helsinki, Leningrad and Tallinn.