Certification requirements vary by year. The requirements below pertain to those who have registered for the certification in 2022 and beyond. Please refer to your certification Logbook if you’ve enrolled in previous years.

In order to qualify for Elite Cruise Counsellor (ECC) Certification, the following must be achieved:

Pre- and Post- requisites

Enrollee must be an active CLIA Individual Agent Member (IAM) and maintain active membership during the certification completion period; and must have completed and graduated with the Master Cruise Counsellor (MCC) designation. Elite Cruise Counsellor Certification candidates have two (2) years from the date of enrollment to complete the certification requirements and submit documentation per the Logbook instructions. Once a CLIA IAM graduates with the ECC designation, the graduate must renew CLIA Individual Agent Membership to maintain the certification.

In order to qualify for Elite Cruise Counsellor (ECC) Certification, credits must be achieved as follows:

Mandatory Training

• In order to qualify for Elite Cruise Counsellor (ECC) Certification, credits must be achieved as follows:
  • Groups 201: Developing Group Business
  • Groups 301: Successful Group Management
  • Converting Prospects to Customers
  • Marketing 101: Developing Your Marketing Strategy
  • Customer Relationship Management
• One (1) CLIA Certificate Program Including:
  • RiverView
  • Public Relations for Your Cruise Business
  • Family Cruise Travel
  • Luxury Cruise Travel
  • Accessible Cruise Travel
  • Cruise Groups
  • Meetings and Events at Sea
• Industry Impact Activity
  • Involved engagement in an industry impact activity that supports positive cruise industry awareness and reputation management; CLIA’s Policy Priorities; environmental advocacy and/or natural disaster relief. Engagement must have occurred and/or be ongoing during ECC enrollment. Activity engagement up to two (2) years prior to enrollment date may be included. More details on this requirement are outlined in the Logbook PDF you'll access after enrollment. Examples of acceptable activities
    • Volunteering with and/or donating to organizations that support the cruise industry.
    • Volunteering and/or donating for natural disaster relief
    • Mentoring agents new to the industry

Elective Training

Fifty (50) credits received for any combination of the following – Must complete during your completion term following enrollment

• Attendance at CLIA’s Cruise360 Conference (40 credits)
  • Cruise360 attendance can only be used once per certification level. If you have attended Cruise360 multiple times, you must use a different year for other certification levels.
• Full attendance at a CLIA Live Training or Virtual Training Event (30 credits each, one per certification level)
• CLIA online courses and live seminars evident by successfully passing the course quizzes (10 credits each)
• CLIA Industry Partner Training - Global Cruise Line Members, Hotels, Destinations (credits vary)
• Completion of an additional CLIA Certificate Program as listed below (50 credits each):
  • RiverView
  • Public Relations for Your Cruise Business
  • Family Cruise Travel
  • Luxury Cruise Travel
  • Accessible Cruise Travel
  • Cruise Groups
  • Meetings and Events at Sea
• Achievement of the Travel Institute’s CTC designation (10 credits)
• Achievement of Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) CTC designation (10 credits)

Product Knowledge

• Two (2) Live or Virtual Ship Inspections
  • Must be Live Ship Inspections or CLIA provided Virtual Ship Inspections
  • Must be a CLIA Global Cruise Line Member
  • May include Ship Inspections from up to three (3) years prior to enrollment date
  • Must be Ship Inspections that have not been used for the attainment of any other CLIA certification level
  • May use the same Global Cruise Line Member, but must be for different ships
• Sixty (60) Stateroom Bookings
  • Must be booked or fully deposited through a current CLIA Travel Agency Member
  • Must be a CLIA Global Cruise Line Member
  • May include bookings one (1) year prior to enrollment date
  • Must be bookings that have not been used for the attainment of any other CLIA certification level
• One (1) Personal Cruise Experience
  • One cruise of 10+ nights
  • Must be a CLIA Global Cruise Line Member
  • May include cruises from two (2) years prior to enrollment date
  • Must be completed cruises that have not been used for the attainment of any other CLIA certification level