OP
Wow! I can't thank everyone enough for all the advice! I'll message back what the proposed itenerary will come back as.. I was looking for an excuse to rent a car, and have the fiance pack lightly! Don't know if I mentioned it but light packing (normally my specialty) ain't going to happen. Right after this wedding we are off to another one: our own! It's in St. Thomas and we arrive by a chintzy Carnival Cruise with 85 guests. Note no returning home, we go direct! This is going to be ridiculous... I can just see it now, we're at the bus stop with 5 suitcases packing for two totally different trips!
Maybe I can ship her wedding gown to the islands in advance?
Joking....
We actually have lots of guests helping and bringing stuff down. Unfortunately, we will still need our own large luggage as the cruise is 8 days.
While we are on the topic any suggestions on how to survive an 8 day wedding, surrounded by 20 of our friends piling us with booze, and 60 of the parents friends inviting us to play shuffleboard or discuss the subtle differences between the coolest new watchamadoodads.
p.s. is it proper etiquette to thank everyone with the button?
Maybe I can ship her wedding gown to the islands in advance?
Joking....
We actually have lots of guests helping and bringing stuff down. Unfortunately, we will still need our own large luggage as the cruise is 8 days.
While we are on the topic any suggestions on how to survive an 8 day wedding, surrounded by 20 of our friends piling us with booze, and 60 of the parents friends inviting us to play shuffleboard or discuss the subtle differences between the coolest new watchamadoodads.
p.s. is it proper etiquette to thank everyone with the button?
....Now, how to survive your upcoming ordeal....ah....celebration 
..... With the schedule you have ahead of you and the amount of people involved, you are going to need Quiet Time....Overall, this is YOUR wedding, you and your bride need to take control of the itinerary and schedule down time for yourselves. Since you are on a cruise ship, there will be plenty of things for your family and friends to be doing. They will hopefully busy themselves with the activities and you and your bride can slip away. Being a former, pod person, DH and I found out that there are a lot of little spaces to hide on a cruise ship. You can easily slip away from the crowd and get lost for awhile. This way, you will be refreshed and able to take on the party ! And if this doesn't work....stay in the cabin, ignore knocks on the door, don't answer the phone and order room service 
