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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Accounting
Basis for Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements
 
The unaudited consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). Estimates are required for the preparation of financial statements in accordance with these principles. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Refer to Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for a discussion of our significant accounting policies.
Basis of Consolidation
All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. We consolidate entities over which we have control, usually evidenced by a direct ownership interest of greater than 50%, and variable interest entities where we are determined to be the primary beneficiary. Refer to Note 5. Other Assets for further information regarding our variable interest entities. For affiliates we do not control but over which we have significant influence on financial and operating policies, usually evidenced by a direct ownership interest from 20% to 50%, the investment is accounted for using the equity method. We consolidate the operating results of Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France on a two-month lag to allow for more timely preparation of our consolidated financial statements. Except for the impairment of Pullmantur related assets, as described in Note 3. Impairment of Pullmantur Related Assets, no material events or transactions affecting Pullmantur or CDF Croisières de France have occurred during the two-month lag period of August and September 2015 that would require further disclosure or adjustment to our consolidated financial statements as of and for the quarter ended September 30, 2015
Revenue and Expense Recognition
Revenues and Expenses

We recognize passenger ticket revenues, revenues from onboard and other goods and services and all associated cruise operating costs for all of our uncompleted voyages on a pro-rata basis. Prior to September 30, 2014, we recognized revenues and cruise operating costs for our shorter voyages (voyages of ten days or less) upon voyage completion while we recognized revenues and cruise operating costs for voyages in excess of ten days on a pro-rata basis.

The change to prorate all voyages as of September 30, 2014 forward was not retrospectively applied to prior periods, as the impact of prorating all voyages was immaterial to the respective periods presented.
New Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, amended GAAP guidance was issued to clarify the principles used to recognize revenue for all entities. The guidance is based on the principle that revenue should be recognized to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard also requires more detailed disclosures and provides additional guidance for transactions that were not comprehensively addressed in the prior accounting guidance. This guidance must be applied using one of two retrospective application methods. In August 2015, the effective date of this guidance was deferred by one year and will now be effective for our annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted for our annual reporting period beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods therein. We are currently evaluating the impact, if any, of the adoption of this newly issued guidance to our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, GAAP guidance was issued requiring management to evaluate, at each annual and interim reporting period, whether there are conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued and provide related disclosures. This guidance will be effective for our annual reporting period ending after December 15, 2016 and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have an impact to our consolidated financial statements.

In January 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued changing the requirements for reporting extraordinary and unusual items in the income statement. The update eliminates the concept of extraordinary items. The presentation and disclosure guidance for items that are unusual in nature or occur infrequently will be retained and will be expanded to include items that are both unusual in nature and infrequently occurring. A reporting entity may apply the amendments prospectively or retrospectively to all periods presented in the financial statements. The guidance will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted provided that the guidance is applied from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have an impact to our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued affecting current consolidation guidance. The guidance changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. This guidance must be applied using one of two retrospective application methods and will be effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have an impact to our consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued simplifying the presentation of debt issuance costs. The guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by these amendments. Additionally, in August 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued to clarify the presentation of debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements. The amendments continue to allow an entity to present debt issuance costs as an asset with subsequent amortization over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. This guidance should be applied on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each individual period presented should be adjusted to reflect the period-specific effects of applying the new guidance. The guidance will be effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have an impact to our consolidated financial statements, with the exception of reclassifying debt issuance costs from Other assets to be reflected as a reduction of our current and long-term liabilities.

In April 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued to provide a practical expedient for the measurement date of an employer's defined benefit obligation and plan assets. The guidance provides a practical expedient for entities with a fiscal year-end that does not coincide with a month-end and for contributions or significant events that occur between the month-end date and an entity's fiscal year end. The guidance will be effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have an impact to our consolidated financial statements.
In April 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued to clarify a customer’s accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement. The amendments provide guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license or if the arrangement should be accounted for as a service contract. This guidance will impact the accounting of software licenses but will not change a customer’s accounting for service contracts. The guidance will be effective for annual periods, including interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. An entity can elect to adopt the amendments either prospectively or retrospectively. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued to simplify the measurement of inventory for all entities. The amendments apply to all inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out or average cost. The guidance requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. The guidance must be applied prospectively and will be effective for our interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements.
In September 2015, amended GAAP guidance was issued to simplify the accounting for measurement-period adjustments related to business combinations. The amendments require that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustments are determined and eliminates the requirement to retroactively adjust the provisional amounts recognized at the acquisition date. The guidance will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments should be applied prospectively to measurement period adjustments that occur after the effective date. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been issued. The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements.
Other
Other
 
Revenues and expenses include port costs that vary with guest head counts. The amounts of such port costs included in Passenger ticket revenues on a gross basis were $156.8 million and $155.0 million for the third quarters of 2015 and 2014, respectively, and $425.6 million and $416.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Reclassification
Reclassifications

On January 1, 2015, we adopted ASC 853, Service Concession Arrangements ("ASC 853"), using the modified retrospective approach. Due to the adoption of ASC 853, $41.9 million has been reclassified in the consolidated balance sheet, as of December 31, 2014, from Property and equipment, net to Other assets in order to conform to the current year presentation. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements as of and for the quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2015.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2014, $1.2 million has been reclassified in the consolidated statements of cash flows from Other, net to Net deferred income tax (benefit) expense within Net cash provided by operating activities in order to conform to the current year presentation.