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

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Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) brand segment $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Exchange gains (losses) recorded in other income (expense)	$ 57,600	$ (75,600)	$ 39,800
Exposure under foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency collar options, fuel call options, interest rate and fuel swap agreements	$ 5,600	212,800
Number of cruise brands \| brand	4
Number of operating segments \| segment	1
Decrease to customer deposits	$ (1,900,000)	(1,400,000)
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				$ (23,476)
Change in net income	$ 9,200
Change in accounting principle, effect on basic earnings per share (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 0.04
Change in accounting principle, effect on diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares	$ 0.04
Lower Limit
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Investment in a joint venture, percentage of interest	20.00%
Upper Limit
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Investment in a joint venture, percentage of interest	50.00%
Ships
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment, useful life	30 years
Projected residual value	15.00%
Ships \| Lower Limit
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Drydock services period	30 months
Ships \| Upper Limit
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Drydock services period	60 months
Media advertising
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Advertising costs	$ 255,700	233,500	240,300
Brochure, production and direct mail costs
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Advertising costs	$ 133,400	$ 126,700	$ 120,800
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 \| Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Prepaid expenses and other assets				64,600
Decrease to customer deposits				64,600
Retained Earnings
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				(23,476)
Retained Earnings \| Accounting Standards Update 2016-16
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				(6,600)
Retained Earnings \| Accounting Standards Update 2017-12
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				(16,900)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) \| Accounting Standards Update 2017-12
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				2,500
Debt \| Accounting Standards Update 2017-12
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of accounting changes				$ 14,400
TUI Cruises
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Investment in a joint venture, percentage of interest	50.00%
Pullmantur
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Investment in a joint venture, percentage of interest	49.00%
SkySea Cruises
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Investment in a joint venture, percentage of interest	36.00%