Quarterly Selected Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total revenues	$ 1,902,053	$ 2,523,100	$ 2,058,322	$ 1,815,599	$ 1,817,826	$ 2,388,762	$ 1,980,043	$ 1,887,224		$ 8,299,074	$ 8,073,855	$ 7,959,894
Operating income	249,918	258,005	261,297	105,682	119,344	529,462	195,587	97,466		874,902	941,859	798,148
Net income	$ 206,799	$ 228,787	$ 184,967	$ 45,230	$ 109,768	$ 490,248	$ 137,673	$ 26,457		$ 665,783	$ 764,146	$ 473,692
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95	$ 1.04	$ 0.84	$ 0.21	$ 0.50	$ 2.20	$ 0.62	$ 0.12		$ 3.03	$ 3.45	$ 2.16
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.94	1.03	0.84	0.20	0.49	2.19	0.62	0.12		$ 3.02	$ 3.43	$ 2.14
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.3	$ 0.3	$ 0.3	$ 0.3	$ 0.25	$ 0.25	$ 0.25
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets										$ 411,267
Impact of voyage proration change, increase in Operating and Net Income					$ 36,800	$ 16,300				53,200
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property, Plant, and Equipment						$ (17,400)				$ 0	$ (17,401)	$ 0
Pullmantur
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets		$ 411,300
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		$ (12,000)
Valuation allowance adjustment, deferred tax expense (benefit)					$ (33,500)