Tip #1: Wear things you can repeat.
We flew out of dallas at 7am in November and it was chilly, so I wore skinny jeans, a 3/4 length t and booties. Stupid outfit for cruise wear seeing as to how as I soon as we reached Miami I was dressed as an idiot! 
I would suggest a maxi dress and cardi, maybe flats but sandals would be a better choice.
tip #2: Pack more casual outfits.
When you get up early and go to breakfast, then go on an excursion, then back for lunch, then another outfit for dinner (if it's casual, which is mostly what we did) you run out of shorts and tanks quickly. I made the mistake of taking super dressy dresses, and cut offs with racer back tanks. No in between, and I felt like an ass at the bar with smartly dressed women while I had a plain tank and white skinnies on, but the night before had a silk dress on and was over dressed.
Tip #3. Be smart about your drinks.
Luckily, we were gifted with the Ultimate Beverage Package, so we didn't pay for any Cokes, beer, liquor or wine, but we had to sign for every one of them, so I noticed that a bottle of beer was $6.50, a mixed drink was $10, and a COKE was over $3! Bottled water was $4.50! Lunacy. If you don't intend on spending over $150 PER DAY for you and your boo to drink all day, look into the rules for your specific ship on what can and can't be brought on, or do what I would do and smuggle it.
Tip #4: pack odds and ends you MAY need.
For instance, tweezers. I don't carry them in my bag, but I have a pair in my car and one in my desk drawer. On day one I was wishing I'd brought mine. I was glad we packed sunscreen, Chapstick, our own bar soap and toothpaste, ibuprofen, heartburn pills, etc. Small items to include, and they cost A WHACK on the ship.
Tip #5: Don't pack:
*Beach towels. They give you these to use!
*anything that wrinkles can't be steamed out of by hanging in the shower.
*a blow dryer. The one we had was pretty snazzy!
*a watered down version of your hair and makeup routine. When we go to a beach resort, I always decide to just go with my natural curl since we're mostly outside and it will frizz all the way back to Texas anyway, and I never pack any kind of makeup besides tinted moisturizer and mascara, but you shouldn't do this on a cruise because what I didn't realize prior to this one is that YOU'RE INSIDE the whole time! Eyeliner and a flat iron don't take up enough space to leave home.
Tip #6: Take advantage of the buffet!
We made a lot of friends on the cruise who went out of their way to make reservations, dress up WAY more than I like to on vacation, and paid extra to go to specialty restaurants. Chance and I never planned to do this because we have a SUPER laid back vacation style so we would split from them, go have a burger by the pool or hit up the seafood night in the main dining and then meet back up with everyone afterwards. Not ONCE did any of them so "oh the food and service were AMAZING and well worth the extra $75!" They always said "it was okay. My shrimp was bland/my steak was over cooked/it too forever/ potatoes were instant" and we would say really? We had ALL the things and are almost too stuffed to drink these beers!"
If fine dining is your thing, by all means, go right ahead, but don't think you'll be missing out by not hitting the sushi bar on the boat. (There was sushi on the buffet that same night! And no closed toe shoes or slacks required. Pretty sure Chance wore a tie dye tank top.)
tip #7. If you'll be flying into or out of the Miami airport, they are SERIOUS about carried on luggage.
Luckily, Chance and I packed one large duffle and I carried my purse on, but there were other people we were LIVID that the luggage they carried on without a bat of an eye in DFW wasn't allowed on in Miami. One lady had to pay $25 to check her PURSE because it was wider than the example bag! Crazy. Be prepared!
Lastly, Tip #8: if you've ever had even a HINT of motion/sea/car/morning sickness, buy a box of 24 hour Dramamine.
(I actually bought the off brand!)
The boat moves....NON STOP. So many people told me I would never feel a thing, and every one of them turned out to be a teller of lies. Since the formula I bought was 24 hour, I took at right before bed and although I felt the rocking constantly, it didn't upset my stomach or make my head swim. You MUST take it before bed though, because for the following 30 minutes after you dose yourself you will feel as high as the grocery bill on Thanksgiving week. This was me after making that mistake on day one:
Please comment if you have great tips I missed!
Until next time, happy cruising!
Xoxo
Lo
