Quarterly Selected Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Quarterly Selected Financial Data (Unaudited)
Total revenues	$ 1,806,150,000	$ 2,226,390,000	$ 1,821,004,000	$ 1,834,480,000	$ 1,775,401,000	$ 2,321,994,000	$ 1,767,873,000	$ 1,671,995,000	$ 7,688,024,000	$ 7,537,263,000	$ 6,752,504,000
Operating income	(281,307,000)	452,137,000	96,905,000	135,375,000	106,162,000	507,742,000	168,190,000	149,534,000	403,110,000	931,628,000	802,633,000
Net income	(392,803,000)	367,779,000	(3,653,000)	46,964,000	36,562,000	398,958,000	93,491,000	78,410,000	18,287,000	607,421,000	515,653,000
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (1.80)	$ 1.69	$ (0.02)	$ 0.22	$ 0.17	$ 1.84	$ 0.43	$ 0.36	$ 0.08	$ 2.80	$ 2.40
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (1.80)	$ 1.68	$ (0.02)	$ 0.21	$ 0.17	$ 1.82	$ 0.43	$ 0.36	$ 0.08	$ 2.77	$ 2.37
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.12	$ 0.12	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10	$ 0.10
Additional Disclosures
Impairment of Pullmantur related assets									385,444,000
Net deferred tax expense related to Pullmantur impairment									28,488,000
Pullmantur
Additional Disclosures
Number of aircraft operated by Pullmantur Air	3								3
Valuation allowance of deferred tax assets (as a percent)	100.00%
Income tax expense charge	33,700,000
Reduction in income tax expense due to impairment charge related to trademarks and trade names	5,200,000
Net deferred tax expense related to Pullmantur impairment	$ 28,500,000