Financial Instruments - Schedule of Estimated Fair Value of Partnership's Financial Instruments on Recurring Basis (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ (2,015,472)	$ (1,924,124)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Advances to equity accounted joint ventures (note 7)	159,870	181,514
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	214,000	205,636
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Interest rate swap agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Interest rate derivative - liabilities	(104,137)	(119,558)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Cross Currency Swap Agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cross currency swap agreements	(128,782)	(70,386)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Interest rate swaption agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Interest rate derivative - assets	5,623
Interest rate derivative - liabilities	(6,406)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Other derivative	(6,296)	(2,137)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term receivable included in accounts receivable and other assets(ii)	16,453	17,137
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Public [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	(291,247)	(212,536)
Carrying Amount Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Non-public [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	(1,707,962)	(1,694,445)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	214,000	205,636
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Interest rate swap agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Interest rate derivative - liabilities	(104,137)	(119,558)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Cross Currency Swap Agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cross currency swap agreements	(128,782)	(70,386)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Interest rate swaption agreements [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Interest rate derivative - assets	5,623
Interest rate derivative - liabilities	(6,406)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Recurring [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Other derivative	(6,296)	(2,137)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term receivable included in accounts receivable and other assets(ii)	16,427	17,164
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Public [Member] \| Level 1 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	(288,333)	(220,762)
Fair Value Asset (Liability) [Member] \| Non-public [Member] \| Level 2 [Member] \| Fair Value Measurements Other [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ (1,677,139)	$ (1,659,852)

Long-Term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership. This does not include advances to clients.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-04.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6488278&loc=d3e603758-122996

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Cash includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the customer may deposit additional funds at any time and effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid Investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months. Short-term investments, exclusive of cash equivalents, generally consist of marketable securities intended to be sold within one year (or the normal operating cycle if longer) and may include trading securities, available-for-sale securities, or held-to-maturity securities (if maturing within one year), as applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Cash Equivalents
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6507016

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
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Fair value as of the balance sheet date of all foreign currency derivative liabilities not designated as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of all derivative assets not designated as hedging instruments.

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Fair value as of the balance sheet date of all derivative liabilities not designated as hedging instruments.

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An amount representing an agreement for an unconditional promise by the maker to pay the Entity (holder) a definite sum of money at a future date(s) more than one year from the balance sheet date. Such amount may include accrued interest receivable in accordance with the terms of the debt. The debt also may contain provisions and related items including a discount or premium, payable on demand, secured, or unsecured, interest bearing or noninterest bearing, among a myriad of other features and characteristics. This amount does not include amounts related to receivables held-for-sale.

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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