Hi Bryan,
Welcome to planDisney! It sounds like you are ready to anchor aweigh for a Disney Cruise Line vacation and I'm here for it!
You may have seen that
new itineraries through Spring 2026 were announced today, so you have some time to wait before 2028 itineraries are released. New itineraries are typically announced about 15-18 months in advance. For example, Summer 2025 itineraries were announced in March of 2024.
Once itineraries are announced, reservation booking dates are usually the following week. These dates are based on
Castaway Club membership and other Disney membership statuses, so be sure to take note of your applicable date. When your reservation date opens, you will be able to begin paying for your cruise. Typically, a 20% deposit is required and then you can
pay at your own pace until the final balance is due.
You will be happy to know that you can use
Disney Gift Cards to pay for your cruise! I often use gift cards to pay for my onboard account during my cruise, too. Purchasing the gift cards now is a great way to save for your cruise in 2028. When you are ready to make a payment on your reservation, navigate to the Already Booked tab on the website and select Make a Payment. Simply follow the prompts and enter your gift card information. I advise you to keep the gift cards you use until you disembark on the final day of your cruise since any refunds will be credited back to those cards. Remember, you can combine your gift card balance, of up to $1,000, on the Disney Gift Card website, which is super helpful!
I hope this information has you ready to book your amazing Alaskan cruise when the time comes, Bryan. Sail by planDisney again with other questions you may have; we are happy to help!
Wishing you many magical memories,
Shannon