CLIA Certification Explained
The cruise industry association’s ladder of designations, level by level.
Start Selling CruisesCLIA certification is the cruise industry association’s own ladder of designations for travel advisors. In North America it has five: four cruise counsellor levels and one for agency leaders.
The CLIA Certification Ladder in North America
| Designation | CLIA calls it | Who it is for (in CLIA’s words, summarised) |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Cruise Counsellor (CCC) | The essential certification | Advisors who want to grow cruise sales while building their knowledge |
| Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC) | The significant certification | Established advisors already proficient at selling cruises |
| Master Cruise Counsellor (MCC) | The distinguished certification | Advisors excelling in their careers who want to become cruise experts; ACC first, unless entering through CLIA’s experiential learning route |
| Elite Cruise Counsellor (ECC) | The ultimate certification | Top advisors acting as ambassadors for the industry; MCC first |
| Travel Agency Executive (TAE) | The executive certification | People in agency leadership roles |
Each level is enrolled in and completed separately. CLIA notes that its enrollment fee does not cover the individual courses, certificate programs, ship inspections or cruises a level requires.
How the Counsellor Levels Compare
For enrollments from 2022 onward, CLIA lists these experience requirements alongside the coursework:
| Level | Time to complete | Stateroom bookings | Ship inspections | Personal cruises |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCC | 18 months | 5 | 1 | 1 cruise of 2+ nights |
| ACC | 2 years | 20 | 5 | 2 cruises of 2+ nights, on different lines and itineraries |
| MCC | 2 years | 32 | 3 | 2 cruises of 7+ nights, on different lines and itineraries |
| ECC | 2 years | 60 | 2 | 1 cruise of 10+ nights |
Bookings must be made through a CLIA member agency on CLIA member cruise lines, and each level also asks for a letter from your host agency (or business records if you have your own agency membership). Credits, inspections and cruises used for one level generally cannot be reused for another. CLIA’s own pages, linked below, have the full lists.
Outside North America, CLIA runs different programs: Australasia and the UK & Ireland each have their own levels and names.
Before You Enroll in CLIA Certification
- Confirm your Individual Agent Membership is active, and when it next renews.
- Ask your host agency for the letter of verification early; it can take time to arrange.
- Gather records you may already have: past bookings, inspections and cruises within the look-back periods CLIA allows.
- Check the dates of CLIA’s next Cruise360 conference and its live or virtual learning events, since they carry large blocks of credit.
- Pick the certificate program that matches the clients you already serve.
Read the official requirements on CLIA’s certification pages. For the upper levels in depth, see Master Cruise Counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enroll in CLIA certification without being a member?
No. CLIA says enrollment is open only to current Individual Agent Members, and the membership must stay active while you complete a level. CLIA’s North America membership page said in late October 2026 that Individual Agent Membership enrollment was closed for the moment, with 2027 enrollment dates to be announced, so check the current status before you plan.
Do CLIA certification requirements change?
Yes. CLIA states that requirements vary by enrollment year; the summary here reflects the requirements it lists for enrollments from 2022 onward. Anyone who enrolled earlier follows their own Certification Logbook.
Book the Cruises That Count Toward Certification
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