Quarterly Selected Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total revenues	$ 2,004,467	$ 2,569,544	$ 2,195,274	$ 2,008,560	$ 1,909,603	$ 2,563,741	$ 2,105,262	$ 1,917,795		$ 8,777,845	$ 8,496,401	$ 8,299,074
Operating income	307,349	737,488	419,697	279,522	296,842	734,963	282,273	163,127		1,744,056	1,477,205	874,902
Net income	$ 288,039	$ 752,842	$ 369,526	$ 214,726	$ 261,086	$ 693,257	$ 229,905	$ 99,140		$ 1,625,133	$ 1,283,388	$ 665,783
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 1.35	$ 3.51	$ 1.72	$ 1.00	$ 1.22	$ 3.23	$ 1.07	$ 0.46		$ 7.57	$ 5.96	$ 3.03
Diluted (in dollars per share)	1.34	3.49	1.71	0.99	1.21	3.21	1.06	0.46		$ 7.53	$ 5.93	$ 3.02
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.6	$ 0.6	$ 0.48	$ 0.48	$ 0.48	$ 0.48	$ 0.375	$ 0.375	$ 0.375
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Loss from elimination of reporting lag of subsidiary											$ (21,700)
Pullmantur and CDF Croisieres De France
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Loss from elimination of reporting lag of subsidiary								$ (21,700)