Master Cruise Counsellor Requirements
Credits, bookings, inspections, cruises and paperwork, as CLIA lists them.
Build Your Cruise CareerThese are the MCC requirements CLIA lists for advisors who enrolled in 2022 or later. Earlier enrollees follow their own Certification Logbook. Always confirm the current version on CLIA’s MCC page before you plan.
Pre- and Post-Requisites
- Be an active CLIA Individual Agent Member (IAM) and stay active until you finish.
- Hold the Accredited Cruise Counsellor (ACC) designation first, unless entering through CLIA’s MCC Experiential Learning Program.
- Complete everything and submit documentation within two years of enrollment, following the Logbook instructions.
- After graduating, renew your Individual Agent Membership to keep the designation.
Mandatory Credits: 90
| Option | Credits |
|---|---|
| Case studies | 15 each, or 50 for all three |
| Attendance at CLIA’s Cruise360 conference | 40 (once per certification level) |
| Full attendance at a CLIA Live Learning or Virtual Learning Event | 30 (one per certification level) |
| A CLIA certificate program: RiverView, Public Relations for Your Cruise Business, Family Cruise Travel, Luxury Cruise Travel, Accessible Cruise Travel, Cruise Groups, or Meetings & Events at Sea | 50 each |
Elective Credits: 40
| Option | Credits |
|---|---|
| Cruise360 attendance (a different year from any used above) | 40 |
| CLIA Live or Virtual Learning Event | 30 |
| CLIA online courses and live seminars, with the quiz passed | 10 each |
| CLIA industry partner training (cruise lines, hotels, destinations) | Varies |
| An additional CLIA certificate program | 50 |
| The Travel Institute’s CTC designation, or ACTA’s CTC designation | 10 |
Product Knowledge and Experience
- Three ship inspections — live, or virtual inspections provided by CLIA; on CLIA Global Cruise Line Members; different ships (the same line is allowed).
- Thirty-two stateroom bookings — booked or fully deposited through a current CLIA Travel Agency Member, on CLIA member lines.
- Two personal cruises of seven nights or more — on two different CLIA member lines and on two different kinds of itinerary, such as Alaska and the Caribbean.
- One letter of verification — on your host agency’s letterhead, confirming good standing; advisors with their own agency membership submit an annual report filing showing a federal EIN instead.
Mapping MCC Requirements Across Two Years
Most candidates plan backwards from the two cruises and the conference, because those are the fixed dates. Put them on a calendar first, then spread certificate programs and courses around them, and track bookings monthly against the 32 required. Keep every certificate, booking confirmation and inspection record in one folder; the Logbook asks for them at the end.
Remember that CLIA’s enrollment fee does not cover the courses, certificate programs, inspections or cruises themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I count bookings or cruises from before I enroll?
Within limits. CLIA allows MCC bookings from up to one year before enrollment, personal cruises from up to two years before, and ship inspections from up to three years before, as long as they were not used for another CLIA level.
Does attending Cruise360 count more than once?
Cruise360 attendance can be used only once per certification level. If you have attended several years, use a different year for each level.
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