Fair Value Measurements, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities and Financial Risks - Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risks (Details)	Feb. 28, 2018 USD ($)
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]
Foreign currency contract commitments	$ 8,200,000,000
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 \| 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	$ 924,000,000

Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	ccl_FairValueMeasurementInputsDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ccl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAverageExchangeRateCap1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAverageExchangeRateFloor1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueConcentrationOfRiskForeignCurrencyContracts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=ccl_CarnivalHorizonMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=ccl_SeabournOvationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=ccl_HollandAmericaNieuwStatendamMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ccl_EuroDenominatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ccl_SterlingDenominatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: