KEY TAKEAWAYS
Four verandah staterooms, none connecting, all linked so the group could dine and plan together.
The night before sailing: Walt Disney World, an EPCOT fireworks cruise and dinner.
Much of the week planned in twos and threes, with a few moments for all eight.
The Palo Steakhouse private room at sunset for the whole group.
A private speedboat charter in Tortola for just the eight of us.
IN JANUARY 2025, I sailed seven nights on the Disney Treasure with seven friends. The ship was in its first season, the sailing was busy, and I'd planned the trip for all eight of us, from the staterooms to a boat in Tortola.
I've sailed Disney Cruise Line 10+ times across seven ships, solo, as a couple and with groups. Here's what we did on this one, why it worked and what I'd tell a group planning the same thing.
Quick version: we booked four verandah staterooms with no connecting doors, linked the reservations, and planned the week in twos and threes around a few things all eight of us did together. The private dining room at Palo Steakhouse and a boat in Tortola were the two moments built for the whole group.
Table of Contents
The group and the plan
Eight friends, all adults, on a seven-night sailing out of Port Canaveral with stops in Tortola, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. The Treasure was new, so a lot of the ship was new to all of us at the same time.
Seven nights is a long time for eight people to do everything together. So the plan had a few moments built for all eight of us and plenty of room for everything else.
Four staterooms, no connecting doors
I suggested the staterooms for the group. We ended up in four verandahs, none of them connecting.
We never needed a connecting door. Everyone was an adult with their own room to go back to, and the group came together everywhere else on the ship. Connecting rooms solve a specific problem, which is one family split across two rooms, and we didn't have it. I go through when they're worth it in Disney cruise for 6 or more: do you need connecting rooms?
The night before: Walt Disney World and an EPCOT fireworks cruise
I planned the travel to the cruise and a stay at Walt Disney World before sailing. The night before we boarded, we did an EPCOT fireworks cruise and dinner.
That night did two things. Being there the night before meant nobody was racing to the port on embarkation morning (my recommendation for every client). And it started the trip as a group before we'd even reached the ship.
The EPCOT fireworks cruise the night before we sailed.
If you're thinking about pairing your sailing with Walt Disney World, my guide to combining a Disney cruise with Walt Disney World covers the timing.
Planning the week in twos and threes
This is the part of the plan I'd repeat on any group trip.
Two of us went to lunch at Enchanté while the rest of the group skipped it. Not everyone I travel with would want a French lunch on a cruise, and that's fine. For me, it was a chance to do something I really wanted to experience, without asking seven people to come along. We split other meals the same way.
Port days worked like that too. In St. Thomas, about four of us went off to explore beaches and a few local resorts, and the rest stayed on board.
Planning a lot of the week as twos and threes gave everyone a real sense of bonding over the seven nights. We weren't all together the whole time, and the group felt closer for it.
If you're planning this for your own group, the mechanics matter. Each stateroom has its own booking window, so smaller plans run on their own room's date without anyone waiting. I explain how that works in what to do after booking a Disney cruise with a group.
The Palo Steakhouse private room
I requested the private dining room at Palo Steakhouse for the eight of us, and the request came through.
We were seated right at sunset. I'd never been in that room on any Disney ship before, and it's a beautiful space. Everyone dressed up, and we took some really nice group photos. We also shared dishes across the table, including some of the Wagyu off the Palo menu.
The Palo Steakhouse private room on the Disney Treasure.
If you want the same for your group, Palo has a private room on every Disney Cruise Line ship. I cover how to request one, and the party size each ship's room takes, in what to do after booking a Disney cruise with a group.
Tortola: a boat for just the eight of us
For Tortola, I booked an independent private charter, a speedboat-style boat for just our group.
Disney Cruise Line sells its own private boat options in Tortola, and those are a good fit for a lot of groups. I went independent because I wanted a specific boat and a specific kind of day. With our own captain, the route could change with the weather and with the spots the captain thought were best that day. Midway through, the boat took us to lunch somewhere nice as a break, and then we headed back to the ship.
Going independent comes with tradeoffs. The ship's timing is on you, not on Disney, so the return has to leave real margin before all-aboard. We knew the risks and were comfortable with them. If your group isn't, Disney's private options in Tortola are worth a look.
One of the stops we made on our private boat in Tortola.
If your group isn't eight adults
The same plan bends to other groups. A few adjustments I'd make:
A family with young kids in the group. Give that family a connecting pair, so a parent can reach the kids' room without the hallway. Everyone else can still book rooms near each other.
Grandparents coming along. The night before matters even more, so travel day isn't rushed. Keep the all-group moments to dinners and one port day, and let them set their own pace in between.
Teens. Twos and threes work well here too. Teens often want their own plans, and the ship gives them room to have them.
More than four staterooms. Disney Cruise Line's website takes up to four staterooms on one booking. Past that, you're looking at more than one reservation, linked together.
My guide to Disney cruise rooms for 6 or more walks through the room choices in more detail.
What I'd do again
I wouldn't change anything in particular. If I planned it again, I'd keep:
Rooms near each other, not connecting. For a group of adults, it worked.
Linking everything once the last room was booked. It kept dining and planning together.
The night before as a kickoff. The group started the trip together before boarding.
Twos and threes. Smaller plans gave everyone something they wanted, and dinner brought it back together.
One big group moment on board and one in port. The Palo Steakhouse private room and the Tortola boat gave all eight of us something to share.
WHY TRAVELERS WORK WITH ME
Gabe helped us figure out which stateroom categories made the most sense for our group and what would feel comfortable for a full week at sea. Since it was during the ship's inaugural season, I expected some hiccups, but Gabe's suggestions helped us make the most of the new onboard offerings, reminding us about deadlines and booking windows along the way.
Client review, Disney Treasure group
Planning something like this for your group?
I've planned this for a group of eight and sailed it with them. Tell me who's coming and what you want the week to feel like, and I'll help you plan it.
About Gabe
I run Gabe Travels out of the Pittsburgh area and have sailed Disney more than ten times across different ships and itineraries. I focus on practical planning that makes your vacation feel easy, with clear guidance on dining, stateroom choices, and tipping.
Gabe Travers is an independent travel advisor affiliated with Fora Travel, through which Disney Cruise Line bookings are made.
