Represents the actual number of shares underlying each performance share award, expressed as a percentage.

No definition available.

Name:	rcl_ActualSharesUnderlyingEachAwardAsPercentageOfTargetPerformanceShares
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of shares issued annually under executive officer employment agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_AnnuallyIssuedSharesunderExecutiveOfficerEmploymentAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Purchase Plan Purchase Price Percentage of Fair Market Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_EmployeePurchasePlanPurchasePricePercentageOfFairMarketValue
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Share Based Compensation Plans

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_NumberOfShareBasedCompensationPlans
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Employee Stock Purchase Program Number Of Shares Available For Purchase

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByEmployeeStockPurchaseProgramNumberOfSharesAvailableForPurchase
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the maximum number of shares that can be awarded under a share-based compensation plan as a percentage of the target award.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsMaximumAwardPercentageOfTarget
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award, Options, Expiration Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationTerm
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum number of shares that can be awarded under a share-based compensation plan as a percentage of the target award.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherthanOptionsMinimumAwardPercentageofTarget
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award, Maximum Number of Shares that can be Granted to someone other than a non-employee board member in Any Fiscal Year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumNumberofSharesthatcanbeGrantedtosomeoneotherthananonemployeeboardmemberinAnyFiscalYear.
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award, Maximum Value of Awards that Can be Granted to a non-employee board member in Any Fiscal Year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementbyShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumValueofAwardsthatCanbeGrantedtoanonemployeeboardmemberinAnyFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of shares issued quarterly under executive officer employment agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_SharesIssuedQuarterlyUnderExecutiveOfficerEmploymentAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The weighted average of per share prices paid for shares purchased on the open market for issuance to employees under the plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPerShareWeightedAveragePriceOfSharesPurchased
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period as a result of an employee stock purchase plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=us-gaap_DirectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=us-gaap_ChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_StockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=rcl_EquityIncentivePlan2008Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stock-Based Employee Compensation (Details)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Stock-Based Employee Compensation (Details)	Jun. 30, 2014 shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) plan $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2014 $ / shares shares	Feb. 29, 2016
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of stock-based compensation plans \| plan		2
Maximum number of award to be granted per individual		500,000
Maximum aggregate number of shares available under the employee stock purchase plan		1,300,000
Purchase price for each share of common stock as percentage of the average of the market price		85.00%
Shares of common stock issued under the ESPP plan		42,347	28,724	26,921
Weighted-average price of shares of common stock issued under the ESPP plan \| $ / shares		$ 65.48	$ 72.52	$ 52.08
Director
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum value of awards that can be granted to participant in any fiscal year \| $		$ 500,000
Chief Executive Officer
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Quarterly issuance of common stock to Chief Executive Officer (shares)	10,086
Annually issuance of common stock to Chief Executive Officer (shares)				20,172
Upper Limit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum expiry period for options		10 years
Restricted Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period		4 years
Maximum actual number of shares underlying each performance share award as a percentage of target performance shares		200.00%
Number of target performance shares issued (Shares)		132,228
Stock Option \| Lower Limit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period		4 years
Performance Shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period		3 years
Maximum actual number of shares underlying each performance share award as a percentage of target performance shares		200.00%		200.00%
Number of target performance shares issued (Shares)		182,464		63,771
Minimum actual number of shares underlying each performance share award as a percentage of target performance shares				0.00%
Actual payout as percentage of target for performance shares issued in period					165.00%
2008 Equity Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum number of shares authorized for issuance under stock-based compensation plans		14,000,000