In 1994 she became the Stena Europe on the Harwich-Hook of Holland services but three years later was transferred to the Karlskrona-Gdynia route as the Lion Europe, when replaced by HSS Stena Discovery. It was a short-lived renaming and in 1998 she became the Stena Europe once again when Stena dropped the Lion Ferry marketing name.

After a £4.5mn major refit the Stena Europe entered Irish Sea service on the Fishguard - Rosslare crossing on 13 March 2002, replacing the Koningin Beatrix which then transferred to the Karlskrona – Gdynia service as Stena Baltica. In January 2003 the “Europe” hit the news when she lost power near Tuskar Rock off the Irish coast. Five helicopters were scrambled to winch 155 passengers to safety, but the rescue was aborted as engineers brought the ship back under her own power.