Fair Value Measurements, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risks (Details)	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Foreign currency contract commitments	$ 7,000,000,000
Foreign currency zero cost collars – cash flow hedges \| Carnival Horizon \| Cash Flow Hedging
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted-Average Floor Rate	1.02
Weighted- Average Ceiling Rate	1.25
Foreign currency zero cost collars – cash flow hedges \| Seabourn Ovation \| Cash Flow Hedging
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted-Average Floor Rate	1.02
Weighted- Average Ceiling Rate	1.25
Foreign currency zero cost collars – cash flow hedges \| Holland America Nieuw Statendam \| Cash Flow Hedging
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Weighted-Average Floor Rate	1.05
Weighted- Average Ceiling Rate	1.25
Euro-denominated
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	$ 5,600,000,000.0
Sterling-denominated
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount	$ 402,000,000

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]

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- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

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- Definition

Average cap rate on a group of foreign currency derivatives for example, but not limited to, caps or collars.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Average floor rate on a group of foreign currency derivatives for example, but not limited to, floors or collars.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This item represents disclosure of all significant concentrations of credit risk or market risk arising from the subject financial instrument (as defined), whether from an individual counterparty or groups of counterparties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13587-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77997519&loc=d3e13537-108611

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