Fair Value Measurements and Derivative Instruments - Income Statement Hedging Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Fuel	$ 177,677	$ 182,415	$ 519,772	$ 515,065
Depreciation and amortization	320,295	259,923	924,180	753,529
Interest Income (Expense)	(96,413)	(80,679)	(292,006)	(209,590)
Other income (expense)	(7,668)	(3,832)	(34,537)	5,923
Fair Value Hedging
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Hedged Item	(4,116)	2,124	(25,862)	18,680
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	2,920	(3,512)	19,699	(21,392)
Fair Value Hedging \| Interest contracts \| Interest income (expense), net of interest capitalized
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Hedged Item	(4,116)	2,124	(25,862)	18,680
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	2,920	(3,512)	19,699	(21,392)
Fair Value Hedging \| Interest contracts \| Other income (expense)
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Hedged Item	0	0	0	0
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	0	0	0	0
Fair Value Hedging \| Interest rate swaps \| Interest income (expense), net of interest capitalized
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Hedged Item	(4,116)	2,124	(25,862)	18,680
Amount of Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income on Derivative	2,920	(3,512)	19,699	(21,392)
Cash flow hedge \| Interest contracts \| Interest income (expense), net of interest capitalized
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income	(373)	(1,395)	(1,173)	(10,371)
Cash flow hedge \| Fuel swaps \| Fuel cost
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income	2,435	4,548	33,815	1,459
Cash flow hedge \| Fuel swaps \| Other income (expense)
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income	(472)	466	(1,916)	658
Cash flow hedge \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Depreciation and amortization expenses
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income	(3,592)	(3,157)	(10,471)	(9,625)
Cash flow hedge \| Foreign exchange contracts \| Other income (expense)
Effect of derivative instruments involved in hedging on the consolidated financial statements
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into income	$ (1,251)	$ (835)	$ (3,866)	$ 13,808

Amount of gain (loss) from the increase (decrease) in fair value of derivative and nonderivative instruments designated as fair value hedging instruments recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109977999&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the increase (decrease) in fair value of the hedged item in a fair value hedge recognized in the income statement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnHedgedItemInFairValueHedge1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

The estimated value of gains (losses), net anticipated to be transferred in the future from accumulated other comprehensive income into earnings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=112277219&loc=d3e80845-113994

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fuel costs incurred that are directly related to goods produced and sold and services rendered during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

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

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of income (expense) related to nonoperating activities, classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
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:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
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: