Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the trade organization which represents most of the major cruise lines of the world. In an effort to help cruise clients have the best cruise experience they possibly can, they have developed training programs for travel agents which culminate in the awarding of two designations of agent expertise and excellence - Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) and Master Cruise Counselor (MCC). Both of these training programs are quite rigorous and require attendance at a series of classes, the viewing of several videos, numerous tours of various ships and travel as a passenger on the ships of a variety of cruise lines. Mastery of the material is assessed by the successful passing of approximately 8 exams. Completion of the ACC program can take up to two years, and the MCC program can take another two years to complete. Attainment of ACC status is a pre-requisite for entry into the MCC program. In addition, individuals wishing to achieve the MCC status must either attend a multi-day seminar sponsored by the University of Miami or submit a rigorous series of case studies designed to test the applicant's ability to appropriately develop customized cruise vacations to match the needs of a wide variety of clients with different lifestyles, interests and financial circumstances. These case studies are reviewed and graded by experts in the field.

Many travel professionals sell cruises. Relatively few of them have been designated as Accredited Cruise Counselors (ACCs) and even fewer still have been recognized as Master Cruise Counselors (MCCs). Believe it or not, there are some travel agents who sell cruises but have never actually been on a cruise themselves! Before you trust your hard-earned vacation dollars to a travel professional, take a moment to ask if there is an MCC on staff at the agency. At A Different Path, you can always count on the expertise of an MCC and a staff which has personally cruised to nearly all of the major cruise desinations of the world, on more than ten different cruise lines.