Mogul's $20m yacht hits NZ

ArcticP, moored near the tank farm, is fitted out with speedboats and jetskis. Photo / Janna Dixon

For a superyacht, ArcticP is the roughest diamond likely to sail New Zealand waters.

But it has hosted some of the world's brightest stars, with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes honeymooning on the vessel.

The tugboat turned floating home to the stars is owned by media mogul James Packer, who inherited Australia's largest fortune - and ArcticP - after the death of his father Kerry in 2005.

It arrived in Auckland this month and is expected to remain here until March for maintenance.

The multi-national crew of the 88m pleasure craft were unwilling to give any details about the reason for its visit to Auckland.

One said: "Our job is to sail her and keep our mouths shut."

Valued in some reports at $20 million, ArcticP was named the world's 20th largest superyacht by Power & Motor Yacht magazine in 2007.

Yet compared with others, it is a diamond in the rough.

Auckland-based author John Julian has been aboard ArcticP and written a book about its sister ship Lone Ranger.

He said the former tugs were built in the late 1960s "for a purpose and were the best in the world at what they did".

Their working lives ended in the 1980s and they were converted into pleasure craft in the early 1990s.

Julian would not go into detail about ArcticP, but said Lone Ranger was refitted to be "the best boat in the world to go around the world".

They had less than glamorous exteriors but that meant on arriving in remote ports they did not declare "flash rich guy, come and steal from me".

Instead, with their massive golfball satellites and rough exterior, they were "more likely to be mistaken for a survey ship".

Strapped to the outside of ArcticP - but under heavy covers - are the accoutrements of a luxury lifestyle.

There are 12m speedboats strapped to the side and a row of powerful jetskis can be seen in the bow.

"It is not fantastically appointed because it would be out of keeping with the rest of the vessel," said Julian.

ArcticP is one of more than 50 superyachts expected to make New Zealand home for summer.

Viaduct Harbour Ltd spokesman John White said: "Some stay docked all summer and others cruise around New Zealand - almost everyone who comes here cruises the Bay of Islands."

Viaduct Village expects a similar number of luxury craft this year. Spokesman Craig Furlong said superyacht season was a time when the wealthy owners spent up large in Auckland.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: Alastair Gray