THEY are a fundamental party of our local life and often undervalued and now our Cruise Ship Volunteer Ambassadors are in need of a few necessities to keep doing their magnificent job. On Monday, the ambassadors met at the Whitsunday Sailing Club to discuss their requirements for 2015.

Simple items such as new shirts and sunscreens are some of the supplies the ambassadors are seeking.

They will put together a grant to submit to the Whitsunday Regional Council but hope the rest of the community can also support what they do.

The Whitsunday community reap in the benefits the cruise ship industry brings - injecting $6-8 million a year in Airlie Beach.

Volunteer Ambassador co-ordinator Brian Richardson said passengers fill-out a survey once they have returned from their daytrips evaluating our town and if they hadn't disembarked it would be a very different story.

"Take the Queen Mary's visit yesterday [Sunday], the feedback we got was that it's a beautiful town, very clean, they'd love to come here again, the ambassadors do a great job and they thanked us for looking after them," he said.

The survey is used to create improvements to encourage more passengers to disembark next time but it seems Airlie Beach is already doing a top job.

"We do a lot of stuff for them [passangers] - direct them to doctors, direct them to physios, ring up taxis for them," Mr Richardson said.

"The restaurants and tours are packed for the day and we watch them return with their hands full of shopping." The ambassadors were also after a new gazebo but Cannonvale Marine have generously donated theirs for as long as they need it. Cruise ship ambassadors are a vital part of a passenger's experience and they are always on the look-out for more volunteers. Contact Brian Richardson on 0400 985 760 or email brichardson@outlook.com for more information.