Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity - Stock Option Activity for Options (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Stockholders' Equity - Stock Option Activity for Options (Detail) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Nov. 30, 2013
Performance and Market-Based Vesting Condition Options [Member]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Options 640,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Granted, Options 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Exercised, Options 0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Expired/forfeited, Options (640,000)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Options 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
640,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Options 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2012, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 1.74us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Granted, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Exercised, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Expired/forfeited, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 1.74us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2014, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
$ 1.74us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years   7 years 9 months 29 days
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Aggregate Intrinsic Value $ 70,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2014, Aggregate Intrinsic Value    70,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_PerformanceAndMarketBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Aggregate Intrinsic Value     
Service-Based Vesting Condition Options [Member]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Options 1,112,260us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Granted, Options 22,500us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Exercised, Options (51,245)us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Expired/forfeited, Options (86,249)us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Options 997,266us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
1,112,260us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Options 970,183us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2012, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 2.11us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Granted, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 2.40us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Exercised, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 1.54us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Expired/forfeited, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 2.15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2014, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 2.14us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
$ 2.11us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 2.14ccel_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageNumber
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years 5 years 10 months 2 days 6 years 4 months 24 days
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years 5 years 10 months 2 days  
Outstanding at November 30, 2013, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 88,614us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Granted, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 8,550ccel_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Exercised, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 56,077us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodTotalIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Expired/forfeited, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 54,454ccel_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresAndExpirationsInPeriodIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
 
Outstanding at November 30, 2014, Aggregate Intrinsic Value 661,466us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
88,614us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember
Exercisable at November 30, 2014, Aggregate Intrinsic Value $ 649,134us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ccel_ServiceBasedVestingConditionOptionsMember