General	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
General	General Description of Business We are a global cruise company. We own Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisières de France and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises. 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, 2015 for a discussion of our significant accounting policies. 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 4. 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. Prior to January 1, 2016, we consolidated the operating results of Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France on a two-month reporting lag to allow for more timely preparation of our consolidated financial statements. Effective January 1, 2016, we eliminated the two-month reporting lag to reflect Pullmantur's and CDF Croisières de France's financial position, results of operations and cash flows concurrently and consistently with the fiscal calendar of the Company ("elimination of the Pullmantur reporting lag"). The elimination of the Pullmantur reporting lag represents a change in accounting principle which we believe to be preferable because it provides more current information to the users of our financial statements. A change in accounting principle requires retrospective application, if material. The impact of the elimination of the reporting lag was immaterial to prior periods and is expected to be immaterial for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. As a result, we have accounted for this change in accounting principle in our consolidated results for the first quarter of 2016. Accordingly, the results of Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France for November and December 2015, in addition to the three months ended March 31, 2016, are included in our statement of comprehensive income (loss) for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. The effect of this change was a decrease to net income of $21.7 million and this amount is reported within Other (expense) income in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) for the quarter ended March 31, 2016.

General

Description of Business

We are a global cruise company. We own Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Club Cruises, CDF Croisières de France and a 50% joint venture interest in TUI Cruises.

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, 2015 for a discussion of our significant accounting policies.

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 4. 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.

Prior to January 1, 2016, we consolidated the operating results of Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France on a two-month reporting lag to allow for more timely preparation of our consolidated financial statements. Effective January 1, 2016, we eliminated the two-month reporting lag to reflect Pullmantur's and CDF Croisières de France's financial position, results of operations and cash flows concurrently and consistently with the fiscal calendar of the Company ("elimination of the Pullmantur reporting lag"). The elimination of the Pullmantur reporting lag represents a change in accounting principle which we believe to be preferable because it provides more current information to the users of our financial statements. A change in accounting principle requires retrospective application, if material. The impact of the elimination of the reporting lag was immaterial to prior periods and is expected to be immaterial for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. As a result, we have accounted for this change in accounting principle in our consolidated results for the first quarter of 2016. Accordingly, the results of Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France for November and December 2015, in addition to the three months ended March 31, 2016, are included in our statement of comprehensive income (loss) for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. The effect of this change was a decrease to net income of $21.7 million and this amount is reported within Other (expense) income in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss) for the quarter ended March 31, 2016.