CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Activities
Net income	$ 665,783	$ 764,146	$ 473,692
Adjustments:
Depreciation and amortization	827,008	772,445	754,711
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets	411,267
Restructuring related impairments	0	0	33,514
Net deferred income tax (benefit) expense	(10,001)	(41,003)	1,481
Loss on sale of property and equipment	0	17,401	0
Loss on derivative instruments not designated as hedges	59,162	48,637	19,287
Loss on extinguishment of unsecured senior notes			4,206
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Decrease in trade and other receivables, net	63,102	100,095	95,401
Decrease (increase) in inventories	1,197	26,254	(4,321)
Decrease (increase) in prepaid expenses and other assets	14,905	41,077	(22,657)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable	(25,278)	(40,651)	18,957
Decrease in accrued interest	(10,749)	(53,951)	(3,341)
Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other liabilities	41,754	70,565	(6,714)
(Decrease) increase in customer deposits	(92,849)	14,885	37,077
Dividends received from unconsolidated affiliates	33,338	5,814	5,093
Other, net	(32,273)	18,045	5,682
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,946,366	1,743,759	1,412,068
Investing Activities
Purchases of property and equipment	(1,613,340)	(1,811,398)	(763,777)
Cash paid on settlement of derivative financial instruments	(178,597)	(68,098)	(17,338)
Investments in and loans to unconsolidated affiliates	(56,163)	(188,595)	(70,626)
Cash received on loans to unconsolidated affiliates	124,253	76,167	23,372
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment		220,000
Other, net	(19,128)	1,546	3,831
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,742,975)	(1,770,378)	(824,538)
Financing Activities
Debt proceeds	4,399,501	4,153,958	2,449,464
Debt issuance costs	(68,020)	(72,974)	(57,622)
Repayments of debt	(4,118,553)	(3,724,218)	(2,856,481)
Purchase of treasury stock	(200,000)	(236,074)	0
Dividends paid	(280,212)	(198,952)	(143,629)
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options	11,252	70,879	30,125
Cash received on settlement of derivative financial instruments	0	22,835	0
Other, net	2,520	2,026	1,517
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(253,512)	17,480	(576,626)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(17,555)	(6,307)	(1,072)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(67,676)	(15,446)	9,832
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	189,241	204,687	194,855
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	121,565	189,241	204,687
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest, net of amount capitalized	248,611	$ 276,933	319,476
Non-Cash Investing Activities
Purchase of property and equipment through asset trade-in	$ 0		$ 46,375