Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Out of period adjustment	Jun. 30, 2012 Forward Contracts	Mar. 31, 2013 Fleet	Dec. 31, 2012 Fleet	Jun. 30, 2013 Fleet Change in accounting estimate for useful lives and associated residual value	Jun. 30, 2013 Fleet Change in accounting estimate for useful lives and associated residual value	Dec. 31, 2013 Fleet Change in accounting estimate for useful lives and associated residual value	Mar. 31, 2013 Fleet Change in accounting estimate for useful lives and associated residual value item
Property, Plant and Equipment
Number Of Cruise Ships												5
Property plant equipment, useful life							35 years	30 years
Projected residual value (as a percentage)							10.00%	15.00%
Effect of change in accounting estimate on operating income	$ 113,338,000	$ 96,905,000	$ 278,970,000	$ 232,280,000					$ 3,000,000	$ 3,900,000	$ 11,000,000
Effect of change in accounting estimate on net income	24,747,000	(3,653,000)	100,973,000	43,311,000					3,000,000	3,900,000	11,000,000
Effect of change in accounting estimate on basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ (0.02)	$ 0.46	$ 0.20					$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.05
Effect of a change in accounting principle on diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.11	$ (0.02)	$ 0.46	$ 0.20					$ 0.01	$ 0.02	$ 0.05
Onboard and Other revenues
Gross amount of port costs included in passenger ticket revenues	117,000,000	103,800,000	232,700,000	216,900,000
Onboard and other revenues	516,054,000	488,797,000	1,033,496,000	971,039,000	(15,200,000)
Reclassifications
Amount reclassified in the consolidated statement of cash flows from other, net to cash payments received on loan to unconsolidated affiliate			11,993,000	11,813,000
Amount reclassified in the consolidated statement of cash flows from other, net to loss on derivative instruments not designated as hedges			$ 25,494,000	$ 3,278,000		$ 4,200,000