Contractual Amount Under Funding Agreement For Variable Interest Entity For All Investors

No definition available.

Name:	rcl_ContractualAmountUnderFundingAgreementForVariableInterestEntityForAllInvestors
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the aggregate investments in an entity accounted for under the equity method of accounting. This investment is the sum of loans made to the entity and the amount of equity investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of ships on order.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the percentage of the contract price of the ship which the bank has committed to finance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the percentage of subsidiary which has been sold.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the percentage which the reporting entity agreed to guarantee for repayment of a loan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the additional amount outstanding under a credit facility provided by the reporting entity to a related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rcl_RelatedPartyTransactionAdditionalLineofCreditBorrowingOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	rcl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the minimum ownership percentage which the reporting entity needs to maintain of the related party in order to remain compliant with a related construction and credit agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the interest rate stated in a contractual debt agreement with a related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Long-Term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership. This does not include advances to clients.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-04.2)
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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
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-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

For an unclassified balance sheet, amount of receivables due from an entity that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.3)
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
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+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DueFromAffiliates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the entity's ownership percentage in the investee multiplied by the investee's total equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentUnderlyingEquityInNetAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of transactions with related party during the financial reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
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-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 4
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+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAmountsOfTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company after stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipAfterTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77990344&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=rcl_TUICruisesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=rcl_PullmanturAndCDFCroisieresDeFranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=rcl_ShipRepairAndMaintenanceFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=rcl_SkyseaHoldingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=rcl_SplendouroftheSeasDomain
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=rcl_NonaccrualstatusofadvancestoaffiliatesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	rcl_CruiseShipsOnOrderAxis=rcl_TUIcruiseshipsMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

Other Assets - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
Other Assets - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions	Jul. 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) ship	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) ship	Sep. 30, 2017 EUR (€) ship	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)
TUI Cruises GmbH joint venture
Other Assets
Percentage of ownership interest				50.00%			50.00%	50.00%
Investments in entity				$ 582.5			$ 582.5			$ 517.0
Underlying equity in net assets				379.3			379.3			323.5
Advances to affiliate				201.5			$ 201.5	€ 170,400,000		192.4	€ 182,300,000
Debt, guaranteed percentage							50.00%
Additional amount outstanding on line of credit provided to TUI Cruises				$ 118.7			$ 118.7	€ 100,400,000
Pullmantur and CDF Croisieres de France
Other Assets
Percentage of ownership interest				49.00%			49.00%	49.00%
Advances to affiliate				$ 17.7			$ 17.7	€ 15,000,000.0
Interest rate on loan provided to related party (as a percent)				6.50%			6.50%	6.50%
Debt, guaranteed percentage							51.00%
Retained ownership percentage of subsidiary after sale	49.00%						49.00%
Percentage of subsidiary which has been sold				51.00%			51.00%	51.00%
Maximum loss exposure				$ 50.9			$ 50.9			40.3
Grand Bahamas Shipyard Ltd. \| Not Primary Beneficiary
Other Assets
Percentage of ownership interest				40.00%			40.00%	40.00%
Investments in entity				$ 50.4			$ 50.4			47.0
Underlying equity in net assets				30.8			30.8			23.2
Related party transaction, payment amount for ship repair and maintenance				$ 1.9			$ 7.5
Skysea Holding \| Not Primary Beneficiary
Other Assets
Percentage of ownership interest				36.00%	36.00%		36.00%	36.00%	35.00%
Investments in entity				$ 97.3			$ 97.3			98.0
Underlying equity in net assets				$ 6.5			$ 6.5			9.2
Advances to affiliate			$ 80.0
Interest rate on loan provided to related party (as a percent)				6.50%			6.50%	6.50%
Debt, guaranteed percentage			100.00%
Other receivables due from affiliate				$ 90.8			$ 90.8			88.8
Payments to acquire equity method investments					$ 7.1
Contractual amount under funding agreement for variable interest entity for all investors				30.0			30.0
Splendour of the Seas \| TUI Cruises GmbH joint venture
Other Assets
Interest rate on loan provided to related party (as a percent)		6.25%
Long term debt, term		10 years
Debt, guaranteed percentage		50.00%
Non-accrual status of advances to affiliates \| Grand Bahamas Shipyard Ltd. \| Not Primary Beneficiary
Other Assets
Advances to affiliate				$ 19.6			$ 19.6			$ 23.8
Interest rate on loan provided to related party (as a percent)						5.50%
Long term debt, term						10 years
LIBOR \| Non-accrual status of advances to affiliates \| Grand Bahamas Shipyard Ltd. \| Not Primary Beneficiary
Other Assets
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate						3.50%
TUI cruise ships \| TUI Cruises GmbH joint venture
Other Assets
Number of ships on order \| ship				2			2	2
Percentage of bank committed financing				80.00%			80.00%	80.00%
Unsecured term loan \| €								€ 150,000,000.0
Restriction on reduction of current ownership interest (as a percent)				37.55%			37.55%	37.55%