Fair Value Measurements and Derivative Instruments - Designated Cash Flow Hedges (Details) - Cash flow hedge - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on Derivative (Effective Portion)	$ (30,929)	$ (99,659)
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	(53,390)	(102,396)
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative (Ineffective Portion and Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing)	(2,299)	(916)
Interest rate swaps
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(2,489)	(97,371)
Interest rate swaps \| Interest expense, net of interest capitalized
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	(8,857)	(9,128)
Interest rate swaps \| Other expense
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative (Ineffective Portion and Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing)	0	(900)
Foreign currency forward contracts
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on Derivative (Effective Portion)	2,129	46,049
Foreign currency forward contracts \| Other expense
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	(3,570)	6,087
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative (Ineffective Portion and Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing)	(18)	0
Foreign currency forward contracts \| Depreciation and amortization expenses
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	(2,710)	(718)
Foreign currency collar options \| Depreciation and amortization expenses
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	(602)	(602)
Fuel swaps
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) on Derivative (Effective Portion)	(30,569)	(48,337)
Fuel swaps \| Other expense
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	2,277	(7,335)
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative (Ineffective Portion and Amount Excluded from Effectiveness Testing)	(2,281)	(16)
Fuel swaps \| Fuel cost
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Effective Portion)	$ (39,928)	$ (90,700)

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.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624177-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments representing (a) the amount of the hedge ineffectiveness and (b) the amount, if any, excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1),(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=rcl_OtherIncomeAndExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=rcl_DepreciationAndAmortizationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=rcl_ForeignCurrencyCollarOptionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=rcl_FuelCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: