Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 ship	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 ship	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Threshold period for recognizing customer deposits as passenger ticket revenue									10 days
Gross amount of port costs included in passenger ticket revenues									$ 494,200,000	$ 459,800,000	$ 442,900,000
Number of Cruise Ships	41								41
Operating income	74,969,000	444,209,000	113,338,000	165,632,000	(281,307,000)	452,137,000	96,905,000	135,375,000	798,148,000	403,110,000	931,628,000
Net income	7,018,000	365,701,000	24,747,000	76,226,000	(392,803,000)	367,779,000	(3,653,000)	46,964,000	473,692,000	18,287,000	607,421,000
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.03	$ 1.66	$ 0.11	$ 0.35	$ (1.80)	$ 1.69	$ (0.02)	$ 0.22	$ 2.16	$ 0.08	$ 2.80
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.03	$ 1.65	$ 0.11	$ 0.35	$ (1.80)	$ 1.68	$ (0.02)	$ 0.21	$ 2.14	$ 0.08	$ 2.77
Exchange gains (losses) recorded in other income (expense)									13,400,000	(11,800,000)	(1,600,000)
Exposure under foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency collar options, fuel call options, interest rate and fuel swap agreements	92,500,000				60,800,000				92,500,000	60,800,000
Cash flow reclassification to conform to current year presentation										7,700,000
Ships
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life									30 years
Projected residual value	15.00%								15.00%
Ships | Lower Limit
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Drydock services period									30 months
Ships | Upper Limit
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Drydock services period									60 months
Ships in Last Third of Useful Life
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of Cruise Ships	5								5
Property, plant and equipment, useful life									35 years
Projected residual value	10.00%								10.00%
Operating income									11,000,000
Net income									11,000,000
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)									$ 0.05
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)									$ 0.05
Media advertising
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising costs									205,800,000	200,900,000	193,700,000
Brochure, production and direct mail costs
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Advertising costs									$ 137,100,000	$ 130,400,000	$ 124,300,000