CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Passenger ticket revenues	$ 6,058,821	$ 5,893,847	$ 5,722,718
Onboard and other revenues	2,240,253	2,180,008	2,237,176
Total revenues	8,299,074	8,073,855	7,959,894
Cruise operating expenses:
Commissions, transportation and other	1,400,778	1,372,785	1,314,595
Onboard and other	553,104	582,750	568,615
Payroll and related	861,775	847,641	841,737
Food	480,009	478,130	469,653
Fuel	795,801	947,391	924,414
Other operating	1,007,926	1,077,584	1,186,256
Total cruise operating expenses	5,099,393	5,306,281	5,305,270
Marketing, selling and administrative expenses	1,086,504	1,048,952	1,044,819
Depreciation and amortization expenses	827,008	772,445	754,711
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets	411,267
Restructuring and related impairment charges	0	4,318	56,946
Total operating costs	7,424,172	7,131,996	7,161,746
Operating Income	874,902	941,859	798,148
Other income (expense):
Interest income	12,025	10,344	13,898
Interest expense, net of interest capitalized	(277,725)	(258,299)	(332,422)
Extinguishment of unsecured senior notes			(4,206)
Other income (expense) (including $12.0 million net deferred tax benefit related to impairments in 2015 and $33.5 million deferred tax benefit related to the reversal of a valuation allowance in 2014)	56,581	70,242	(1,726)
Total other income (expense)	(209,119)	(177,713)	(324,456)
Net Income	$ 665,783	$ 764,146	$ 473,692
Basic Earnings per Share:
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 3.03	$ 3.45	$ 2.16
Diluted Earnings per Share:
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 3.02	$ 3.43	$ 2.14
Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net income	$ 665,783	$ 764,146	$ 473,692
Other comprehensive (loss) income:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(30,152)	(26,102)	1,529
Change in defined benefit plans	4,760	(7,213)	10,829
(Loss) gain on cash flow derivative hedges	(406,047)	(869,350)	127,829
Total other comprehensive (loss) income	(431,439)	(902,665)	140,187
Comprehensive Income (Loss)	$ 234,344	$ (138,519)	$ 613,879