Ex New Zealand PM John Key to guide Antarctic expedition cruise

Former prime minister Sir John Key will be joining an expedition ship south to Antarctica as a guest expert on New Zealand's relation with the frozen continent.

As a longtime advocate for Antarctica, this will be Key's third visit to Antarctica. He first visited Scott Base in 2007 and again in 2013 as PM.

Although bad conditions meant he was unable to get as far as the South Pole, like his predecessor PM Helen Clark, the continent is a place that captivated him.

His premiership saw a major commitment towards investing in science in the region.

"I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to revisit a place I love, a place I never thought I would get a chance to see again in my lifetime," said Key.

"I'm also very excited about being part of the VIP cruise - making new friends, having new experiences and getting to do the polar plunge!"

This will be his first time exploring the Antarctic peninsula, on the far side of the continent to New Zealand's Scott Base. Travelling alongside Key will be Dr Mike Stroud, a physician and extreme conditions specialist who joined the explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes in skiing to both poles.

Prime Minister John Key during his 2013 visit to Antarctica. Photo / Alan Gibson

The adventurer and expert on extreme conditions has presented several TV documentaries on survival skills and will be sharing his insights from 95 days skiing across the continent. Just who you want, joining you on a trip south.

They will be joined by 191 paying passengers, hoping to get as far as 65 degrees South and Cuverville Island.

Trip operators Viva Expeditions say that it will be the trip of a lifetime "travelling with these two inspiring and respected guests to the most awe-inspiring and indescribably breathtaking place on Earth."

The Ocean Albatross is a new hybrid expedition vessel designed for the South Seas. Photo / Supplied, Albatross

Departing November 2023, the sailing will take 13 days to complete on the newly built Ocean Albatross.

She is one of two X-Bow class ships designed cope with the rough South Sea and Drake Passage. Running on four diesel engines and two electrical ones, she can run on half the fuel of a comparable expedition vessel. This is a key consideration for visiting the fragile Antarctic environment.

For more details about the voyage contact Viva Expeditions, nzherald@vivaexpeditions.com, 0800 131 900 or vivaexpeditions.com/nzherald