Mauao summit trails are spic and span following the efforts of crew members from the Resilient Lady cruise ship volunteering to pick up any rubbish they could find during a sunset climb to the summit on Saturday evening.

A dazzling vibrant sea of red sailors greeted picnickers and holiday makers with an ‘Ahoy!’ as they flowed along the Pilot Bay boardwalk around 6.45pm on Saturday, led by their enthusiastic and energetic leader Carl Dickinson.

As the crew engagement and communication manager on board the Resilient Lady, Carl is delighted that he had 69 volunteers from around 30 different countries volunteering to come with him on the climb that combined environmental stewardship with great fun.

Crew from Resilient Lady at the Mount Maunganui Beach Piano in Pilot Bay, with Mauao in the background. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

“One of the big things that is embedded in our crew experience is the Impact Squad which is what you saw today [Saturday],” says Carl.

“We volunteer in the ports we visit, out of respect and gratitude for the destinations.”

The crew members stopped off at the Mount Maunganui Beach Piano, near the end of Commons Ave for a photo with Mauao in the background.  All wearing red tee shirts sporting the triangular Virgin logo with ‘Impact Squad’ on the back, they were easily spotted, as Carl says:  “from a mile off”.

Resilient Lady Crew Engagement & Communication Manager Carl Dickinson leading nearly 70 crew members from the cruise ship (see in background) along the Pilot Bay boardwalk towards the piano and Mauao. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Carl has a special affinity for Mount Maunganui and Tauranga.

“I am very lucky to have cousins from Tauranga so it holds a special place in my heart,” says Carl.

“All of us on board are very grateful to be able to be in the industry and visit these amazing locations, but also out of environmental stewardship.”

He says Virgin Voyages are a forward-thinking cruise line, “not like the rest”.

“We call it the ‘Epic Sea Change For All’, and the aim is to flip traditional cruising on its head,” says Carl.

Epic Sea Change For All is a vision Virgin Voyages has for not only changing business for good, but also to change the world for the better.

The 'Impact Squad' - crew members from the cruise ship Resilient Lady volunteered on Saturday to pick up rubbish while climbing to the summit of Mauao to see the sunset. Photo: Carl Dickinson.

“There is nothing more important in this world than our oceans, and we're on a mission to protect them and set an example. Success needn't compromise sustainability,” says Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.

Virgin Voyages is committed to achieving Net Carbon Emissions by 2050.

“We have designed an efficient ship with new technologies, like Climeon, to optimise and reduce our fuel consumption, and are committed to continuous improvement,” says the founder on the Virgin Voyages website.

The Resilient Lady is one of a fleet of four cruise ships in the Virgin Voyages line, with the first cruise ship Scarlet Lady launched in 2020 followed by Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady.

Virgin Voyages has partnered with Climeon for its clean energy system to be deployed on its ships to generate energy from the engines' cooling water to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Virgin Voyages has also banned all single-use plastics from its fleet including straws, water bottles, shopping bags, food packaging, stirrers and takeaway cups.

Carl Dickinson and crew from Resilient Lady at the Mount Maunganui Beach Piano in Pilot Bay, with Mauao in the background. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

The on board experience for crew and passengers is also a commitment to sustainability with the pioneering of innovative technologies that transform heat from the ship's engines into clean energy, and purifying wastewater so that it’s even clean enough to drink.

Smart and efficient tech includes Tinted windows, LED lighting, and room sensors that help the ship to use less energy and minimize its carbon footprint.

From hammocks to up-cycled ocean plastic sunglasses to providing reef-safe sunscreen, the on board experience also extends to thoughtful retail while addressing how to make a positive impact for people and the planet.

The Impact Squad from the Resilient Lady, gathered around the Mount Maunganui Beach Piano on the Pilot Bay boardwalk. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Buffets on board ship have been eliminated and replaced with serving sustainable seafood and direct trade coffee.

The clever techniques to reduce waste and source responsibly on board has created a community vibe amongst the crew that is extending into the ports the Virgin ships visit.

“We want to be the ships that communities love to see in their port,” says Richard Branson.

“New Zealand is a beautiful country,” says Carl.  “We love what we do, and want to remove the stigma on cruise ships and create positive ripples in the places we visit.” 

The Impact Squad of 69 volunteers from the Resilient Lady’s crew picked up around six full bags of rubbish while on their scenic hike up Mauao around sunset on Saturday.

“The mountain was very clean, you should be proud,” says Carl, who is delighted about the collective effort of his crew to give back to the Tauranga community and the environment during their Port of Tauranga visit.

“This event is not just about a team outing to the top but also about making a positive impact on the environment.

“We are passionate about our commitment to the Epic Sea Change For All initiative, and this event exemplifies our dedication to creating meaningful change.”

Passengers enjoying a dinner cruise on the Bay Explorer on Saturday night viewing the 'Kia Ora' message that lit up the port side of Resilient Lady at her berth. Photo: Ford Saunders.

As well as shedding light on the crew’s dedication to sustainability, community engagement, and the positive experiences they strive to create, they also enjoyed the breathtaking experience of witnessing the sunset.

For more information on ‘new kids on the block’ Virgin Voyages’ innovative sustainability approach that is underscoring the cruise ship industry’s evolving role in responsible tourism go to https://www.virginvoyages.com/sustainability

After staying overnight on Saturday, the Resilient Lady is due to leave Tauranga at 4pm on Sunday, January 14. The cruise ship is due back in Tauranga on March 13, when it will be making another overnight stay.