A new tier of accreditation to reward and recognise agents who excel at selling cruise through their advanced knowledge and experience is being introduced by the Association of Cruise Experts.
The ‘ACE Master’ programme is launched this week and will recognise the achievements of the top tier of agents.
Agents currently become ACE Ambassadors once they reach 600 training points. The new tier will require agents to attain a minimum of 2,000 points, with at least 150 points gathered through offline training, before becoming an ACE Master.
ACE Ambassador and Master accreditation levels offer increased membership benefits together with highlighting to the consumer the expertise and knowledge of the individual agent in selling cruise.
ACE Membership levels:
• Accredited cruise expert: 150 points with a minimum of 15 points gained in offline training.
• ACE Ambassador: 600 points with a minimum of 150 points gained in offline training.
• ACE Master: 2,000 points with a minimum of 150 points gained in offline training.
To continue accreditation, all agents need to achieve a further 50 points within 12 months of accreditation, ACE said.
Director Flo Powell said: “We have 700 agents who have become ACE Ambassadors which is a great reflection on their work and dedication in selling cruise holidays.
“However, with more cruises being sold every year, along with greater choice of destination and the huge variety of ships and facilities, we felt it time to introduce another tier to inspire both existing and new agents to further their cruise knowledge.”