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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Property and Equipment

 

During the first quarter of 2013, we performed a review of the estimated useful lives and associated residual values of ships in our fleet approaching the last third of their estimated useful lives.  As a result, effective January 1, 2013, we revised the estimated useful lives of five ships from 30 years with a 15% associated residual value, to 35 years with a 10% associated residual value.  The change in the estimated useful lives and associated residual value was accounted for prospectively as a change in accounting estimate.  The 35-year useful life with a 10% associated residual value is based on revised estimates of the weighted-average useful life of all major ship components for these ships.  The change in estimate is consistent with our recent investments in and future plans to continue to invest in the revitalization of these ships and the use of certain ship components longer than originally estimated. The change allows us to better match depreciation expense with the periods these assets are expected to be in use.  The effect of this change on operating income, net income and basic and diluted earnings per share was immaterial for the quarter ended March 31, 2013.  For the full year 2013, the effect of this change on operating income and net income is estimated to be an increase of approximately $11.0 million and the impact on earnings per share is estimated to be $0.05 per share on a basic and diluted basis.  For further information on our significant accounting policies, refer to Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

 

In January 2013, we adopted authoritative guidance issued in 2012 regarding the periodic impairment testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets.  The new guidance allows an entity to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that indefinite-lived intangible assets might be impaired and, based on this assessment, to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment tests.  The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

 

In March 2013, we adopted authoritative guidance regarding the presentation of amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income.  The new guidance requires an entity to present, either in a single note or parenthetically on the face of the financial statements, the effect of significant amounts reclassified from each component of accumulated other comprehensive income based on its source (e.g., the release due to cash flow hedges from interest rate contracts) and the income statement line items affected by the reclassification (e.g., interest income or interest expense).  We elected to present this information in a single note. See Note 9. Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) for our disclosures required under this guidance.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

 

In March 2013, amended guidance was issued regarding the release of cumulative translation adjustments into net income.  The new guidance provides clarification of when to release the cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets within a foreign entity.  This guidance will be effective for our interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013.  The adoption of this newly issued guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements, but will have an impact on the accounting for future sales of investments or changes in control of foreign entities.

 

Reclassifications

 

For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, $11.8 million has been reclassified in the consolidated statement of cash flows from other, net to cash payments received on loan to unconsolidated affiliate within net cash flows used in investing activities in order to conform to the current year presentation.

 

Other

 

Revenues and expenses include port costs that vary with guest head counts.  The amounts of such port costs included in passenger ticket revenues on a gross basis were $115.7 million and $113.1 million for the quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.