Asbestos-Related Liabilities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012 Claims Pending_Claims D	Dec. 31, 2011
Liability for Asbestos and Environmental Claims [Abstract]
Holding period for insulation operations (in days)	90
Liability for asbestos and environmental claims net claims paid	$ 3
Outstanding claims involving maritime workers	3,100
Inactive claims	19,000
Historical percentage of claims post 1964	one-quarter
Accrued asbestos claims and related legal costs	246
Unasserted claims	$ 192
Percentage of claims that do not specify damages		88.00%

The accrual for pending and future asbestos-related claims and related legal costs as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The accrual for Unasserted asbestos-related claims as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cck_AccruedAsbestosUnassertedClaims
Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of inactive asbestos-related claims outstanding as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of pending asbestos-related claims involving plaintiffs who allege that they are, or were, maritime workers subject to exposure to asbestos as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cck_AsbestosRelatedClaimsMaritimeWorkersNumber
Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Historical percentage of claims post period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cck_HistoricalPercentageOfClaimsPostPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of days following the stock acquisition of the insulation operations of a U.S. company before the company sold its insulation assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cck_HoldingPeriodForInsulationOperations
Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage Of Claims Damages Not Specified

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cck_PercentageOfClaimsDamagesNotSpecified
Namespace Prefix:	cck_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

Amount of asbestos claims paid in the current period, net of reinsurance recoveries.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-PLI

-Chapter 4

-Paragraph 132, 133, 135, 136, 137

-IssueDate 2006-09-01

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 94-5

-Paragraph 11, 12

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14764-158437

+ Details

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