The vessel was ordered on 2 August 2005 for construction by Aker Finnyards in Finland for Brittany Ferries. The vessel was named after the Cotentin Peninsula of France of which Cherbourg is the largest town. Sea trials commenced on 26 September 2007, after which she returned to the shipyard for completion. She was delivered to Brittany Ferries on 9 November 2007 and undertook berthing trials in Portsmouth and Poole on 14 November 2007 prior to sailing to her homeport of Cherbourg arriving the next day. The ship was christened and her first commercial sailing was the 23:45 Cherbourg–Poole service on 26 November 2007. "Cotentin" replaced on weekday Poole–Cherbourg sailings.