Ahoy there, Rhonda, and welcome aboard planDisney! We're always glad to see Guests looking to plan Disney Cruises as far in advance as possible when it comes to larger groups, because hey, that's what we do, too!
With a crew made up of several families, unless you'd like to splurge on some of the largest royal suites on the ships of the Disney Cruise Line fleet, I'd suggest looking to split your crew into multiple staterooms! There are even adjoining staterooms that can help you have the space to spread out, without the premium that comes with Concierge accommodations! Definitely be sure to download the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app, too! That way you can check out all of this information on your mobile device!
I suggest starting by l
ooking at current itineraries to get an idea of what may be available when you are hoping to cruise. From shorter
Bahamian itineraries on the
Disney Wish and
Disney Dream to Transatlantic crossings, checking out what
Ports of Call you'd like to see or what port you'd like to sail out of are other good starting points!
Now, when it comes to financing, your question about payment plans is one we get frequently, and I'm happy to report that you can reserve your cruise with a deposit as early as possible, and take all the time you need to make payments as you please - as long as you pay the balance before your "final payment due date!" Once itineraries are released and you make your reservation, you'll be able to find this date on the "My Reservations" page! The earlier you book your sailing, not only will you get what is usually the best price available, but you'll have the longest time until your final payment due date.
By planning so far ahead, you're setting yourself up for smooth sailing and can stretch out your payments as long as possible! So while Disney Cruise Line does not offer a payment plan officially, when booking a stateroom, you'll only be required to pay a deposit to secure your reservation (except for Guarantee Category staterooms). The remaining payment will be due at a later time known as your "Final Payment Due Date," and you can make partial payments as you WISH in any amount between making the deposit and that final date. So it's actually like the MOST custom payment plan on the high seas!
Oh and one last "planDrew-approved" tip: you can book up to FOUR staterooms on a single reservation, so if the numbers work out, you can select your staterooms all at once and make sure you're located close to one another...or, far FAR away from one another, if that is more aligned with the stars in your crew's sky, haha!
I hope that helps clear up your question, Rhonda! Thank you so much for sailing my way with your question, and if any others surface while you continue planning, please send another message in a bottle my way here at planDisney!
Fair winds and following seas!
Andrew