Quarterly Selected Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total revenues	$ 1,909,603	$ 2,563,741	$ 2,105,262	$ 1,917,795	$ 1,902,053	$ 2,523,100	$ 2,058,322	$ 1,815,599		$ 8,496,401	$ 8,299,074	$ 8,073,855
Operating income	296,842	734,963	282,273	163,127	249,918	258,005	261,297	105,682		1,477,205	874,902	941,859
Net income	$ 261,086	$ 693,257	$ 229,905	$ 99,140	$ 206,799	$ 228,787	$ 184,967	$ 45,230		$ 1,283,388	$ 665,783	$ 764,146
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.22	$ 1.04	$ 1.07	$ 0.46	$ 0.94	$ 1.04	$ 0.84	$ 0.21		$ 5.96	$ 3.03	$ 3.45
Diluted (in dollars per share)	1.21	1.03	1.06	0.46	0.95	1.03	0.84	0.20		$ 5.93	$ 3.02	$ 3.43
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48	$ 0.48	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.3	$ 0.3	$ 0.30
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Current Fiscal Year End Date										--12-31
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets										$ 0	$ 411,267	$ 0
Loss from elimination of reporting lag of subsidiary										(21,700)
Pullmantur
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets						$ 411,300
Income tax expense (benefit)						$ (12,000)
Other income (expense)
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Income tax expense (benefit)										20,100	$ 11,100	$ (20,900)
Pullmantur
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Restructuring charges										2,655
Pullmantur | Cruise operating, depreciation and amortization expenses
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other costs to implement initiatives										$ 3,600
Pullmantur and CDF Croisieres De France
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Loss from elimination of reporting lag of subsidiary				$ (21,700)