Hi there, Carol,
Welcome to planDisney. And welcome to "A Whole New World" of Disney vacationing. When my family booked our first Disney Cruise Line vacation, we thought it might be a "one and done" sort of vacation. Little did we know, the experience would give us "a new fantastic point of view" that is truly "shining, shimmering, splendid." We were hooked!
One of the great things about a Disney Cruise Line vacation is that, in most cases, booking a cruise requires only a modest down payment and then remaining payments can be made at your own pace up until the balance is due on the so-called "paid-in-full" date. For regular bookings, when that date occurs depends on the length of the cruise and the category of the stateroom reserved. The details for most reservations are available in the booking terms and conditions. Generally, the final payment due date for suites and concierge rooms and for cruises of six or more nights is 120 days before sailing. For typical non-suite, non-concierge reservations of cruises shorter than six nights, the final payment due date is 90 days before sailing.
There are certain special offers, stateroom categories, and unique itineraries that may have additional terms and conditions. In some cases, such reservations may require payment in full at the time of booking. Some examples are Guaranteed (GTY) or Guaranteed with Restrictions (IGT, OGT, or VGT) stateroom categories. Such reservations are often at a significant discount that requires full payment up front. Occasionally, there are very special itineraries that are so popular that it is necessary to give full payment up front to ensure the reservation is secure. Examples of such itineraries are quite rare. One example is the annual favorite Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise. Be sure to check the details of the reservation terms and conditions when booking, as they may be unique for a given reservation. In cases when payment in full is required at booking, that information will be indicated by written terms when checking out online or it will be shared by the Cast Member who is servicing a booking over the phone.
If your paid-in-full date is later, it can sometimes still be helpful to keep track of when your activities booking window opens. Full payment is required before you may begin making advanced reservations for onboard activities and Port Adventures. If your required paid-in-full date happens to be after your activities booking window opens, you may wish to complete your final payment early so you can begin booking activities sooner.
Whether your final payment is right away or later on, you will still likely have a little time left to make more plans for your upcoming Disney cruise. As you do so, I hope you'll consider visiting us at planDisney again. It would be our pleasure to offer recommendations and tips for making your Disney Cruise Line vacation as magical as possible.
Have a wonderful cruise, Carol!
~Tony