Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital (USD $) In Thousands	General Partner's Capital [Member]	Limited Partners' Capital [Member]	Holding Units Held by AllianceBernstein to Fund Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plans [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2009	$ 1,668	$ 1,927,991	$ (123,783)	$ (7,984)
Net income (loss)	131	134,027			134,158
Cash distributions to unitholders	(151)	(151,208)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards		78,545
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		8,287
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund long-term incentive compensation plans			(76,501)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				139
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				(147)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(3,904)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2010	1,648	1,997,642	(200,284)	(11,896)	1,787,110
Net income (loss)	(88)	(93,180)			(93,268)
Cash distributions to unitholders	(144)	(145,552)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards		0
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		1,478
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund long-term incentive compensation plans			79,098		79,098
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				149
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				2,979
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(5,677)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2011	1,416	1,760,388	(121,186)	(14,445)	1,626,173
Net income (loss)	49	51,036			51,085
Cash distributions to unitholders	(96)	(88,252)
Issuance of Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards		0
Proceeds from exercise of compensatory options to buy Holding Units		0
Holding Units held by AllianceBernstein to fund long-term incentive compensation plans			(25,072)		(25,072)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				256
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax				(157)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(3,855)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 1,369	$ 1,723,172	$ (146,258)	$ (18,201)	$ 1,560,082