Ahoy there, Patrick! Welcome aboard planDisney! I'm so excited that you are considering a Disney Cruise Line vacation for your large group! I've always said that Disney Cruises go together like...like...well, things that go really well together, haha! It sounds like you and your crew are trying to see how best to accommodate everyone in staterooms, and I've got good news for you, so let's weigh anchor and get underway!
The first thing you should know is that in my opinion, there's no such thing as a bad stateroom on the Disney Cruise Line fleet! Every room is an amazing home away from home on the high seas! That said, staterooms basically fall into one of four main categories, with small variations within each category as well: Inside, Oceanview, Oceanview with Verandah, and Concierge. Rooms vary slightly from ship to ship, but I highly suggest you check the Stateroom Overviews for the
Disney Magic,
Disney Wonder,
Disney Dream,
Disney Fantasy, and
Disney Wish to get an idea of what the major differences are!
For your crew, the good news is each type of stateroom can sleep at least three to four guests, and many, like the Deluxe Family Oceanview Staterooms sleep up to five, depending on which ship you're looking to embark on. If it were me booking for your immediate party of 11, I'd target two inside staterooms (either Standard or Deluxe) and one Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom! This should allow your family to stay comfortably, in the fewest number of staterooms. While a verandah is nice, those rooms actually sacrifice the ability to sleep five guests for a bit of fresh air that's just a few decks away from every stateroom aboard the ship! For the other part of your crew, I'd say a pair of adjoining staterooms of any category would be the best way to get the other six of them aboard in style!
Suites can be very, VERY nice, however their Guest sleeping capacity isn't always as deluxe as the accommodations. Many of the Concierge rooms' capacity mirror that of their non-concierge counterparts! The notable exceptions are the Concierge 2-Bedroom Suite with Verandah and Concierge Royal Suite with Verandah on the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder which have multiple bedrooms and sleeping arrangements for seven! Oh, and the Concierge Tower Suite on the Disney Wish can sleep eight in the most luxurious stateroom ever Imagineered on Disney Cruise Line!
Unfortunately, there aren't any discounts for large parties, but with a bit of strategic booking, you can find really great value on any sailing! I noticed you said you're looking at early 2023, and if you've got January or February circled on the calendar, you'll be sailing at my family's favorite time to cruise for that very reason! You may trade off a few degrees on the thermometer, but you gain a lot of value on the booking side!
I nearly forgot something very important: you can book up to four staterooms on a single reservation, but remember there must be an adult in every stateroom!
Well, Patrick, I hope that gives you a few ideas as you begin to chart this course for your cruise! Thank you so much for your question, and if you have any others as you explore your stateroom options, please sail my way again here at planDisney!
Fair winds and following seas!
Andrew