Ahoy there, Penny, and welcome to planDisney! Thanks for stopping by planDisney with your questions!
I'm guessing from your question that you have a large family who would all love to cruise together - that's wonderful! I've always said a
Disney Cruise Line Vacation is the best family vacation: luxurious staterooms, beautiful ships, amazing gourmet dining, sparkling pools, and enough Disney magic to make memories that last forever! Who wouldn't want to join in on all that fun? Lucky for them, there are plenty of staterooms on whichever ship you wish to embark!
I'll never forget the last time my parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephew all went to Walt Disney World Resort together. My dad and I were sitting outside
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa when he said, "the next vacation, we're taking a Disney Cruise - it's so much more relaxing!" A few years later, and we were all on the
Disney Fantasy - and he was right!
To make sure the other members of your family won't miss out on any of that relaxation (and so you can make special requests like seating at the same table during your main dining rotation) I definitely suggest linking your reservations together - especially if they were made by separate immediate travel parties! Be sure while planning you keep track of everyone's reservation information so you can link your parties together in "My Reservations" section of the Disney Cruise Line website. For the largest parties, I do suggest
calling a Disney Cruise Line crew member to leave linking, special requests and magic-making in their capable hands!.
Once linked, you should be able to see your group's plans including Port Adventures, Dining Reservations, Onboard Fun, and more! It's a great way to know where your family will be, and when the opportunities to meet up at a family trivia or impromptu activity are - or the perfect time to plan a relaxing escape to Senses Spa & Salon, haha!
It looks like you're planning on booking pretty far in advance - that's a great decision, and one that gives you the longest time before your final payment is due. Currently, Disney Cruise Line has
temporarily extended their final payment dates for cruises departing by September 2022 to 60 days before embarkation day.
While this doesn't include the dates you're considering booking, and final payment date policies are always subject to change, that should give you an idea of just how long it is until your final payment would be due - a great way to help crunch the numbers on your budget! Remember, you'll also have a chance to review your deposit and payment schedule before you finalize your reservation during the checkout process, and can check the
Frequently Asked Questions section of the website for any changes to this policy.
Penny, I sure hope that your family is ready for the most exciting - and relaxing - vacation available around. If you have any additional questions as you round up the entire family to plan together, please drop me a line, I'll be here ready and waiting to answer whatever you all can muster!
To life, family and adventure on the high seas!
Andrew