What shoes?

jabbot are you asking for ideas for during the daytime ashore, or during the evening onboard ship?

jabbott
It depends on your own particular style, I would go with a nice pair of patent leather loafers or smart trainers ( white );quite on trend I don’t think you could go wrong with them particularly on a cruise and quite good for walking . DM’s though quite pricey , you can buy imitation but then again they could be the ‘ ankle boot style ‘ that you do not like .
Oliver Bonas have some lovely dainty Mary Jane style shoes, low heel with a low flat heel & a front strap .
A cruise sounds like a good idea right now , enjoy ☺️

How about something like these? Medium heels and not too delicate or too chunky. I'm not a fan of flats with dresses.

www.clarks.com/en-ca/emily2-mabel/26174082-p

I also have a pair of Clarks, not available any more, but they have a sturdy heel and work with tights, similar to these:
www.johnlewis.com/carvela-harper-suede-court-shoes-black/p110711260

Exactly. It’s the tights which cause the problem.

Why ribbed tights and not opaque tights? Black opaque tights go with shoes , either a court or Mary Jane’s .

the OP clearly states she doesn't want ankle boots yet several have suggested the.

The OP says she doesn't want ankle boots.
I think she's looking for attractive footwear to wear with a skirt or dress.

How about some smart deck shoes?

Camper or skechers.. very light comfortable leather. I like the zip-up ankle boots

I’d go with a chunky brogue too. Am I the only person who can’t get along with Skechers? They seem to be recommended by so many but I’ve not come across one pair that is for me in fitting or styling.

If it's a mid calf length dress then I would suggest knee high boots, with or without a heel..
A shorter dress would look ok with flat or lowheel shoes.
Enjoy your cruise!

Trainers and skirts /dresses are perfectly acceptable. Try sketchers , they are amazing and my feet are not easy to fit. I recognize you will be wearing skirts or dresses but if I were on a cruise to a place that was not warm I would be in comfy trousers with leggings or long johns underneath for additional warmth.
Have a wonderful cruise!

White trainers or DMs is the fashion I prefer

I was going to suggest Moshulu.

We live on different planets!

Another vote for a few mentioned here - Rieker, Moshulu as well as Caprice and Gabor. I agree, go for unusual colours to dress up the look.

Doc Martins look fabulous with ribbed tights.

I’m sure I’m not alone in disliking ankle boots, trainers or brogues with a skirt or dress (although I only wear trousers except for a very special occasion). The OP has said she doesn’t want to wear ankle boots. I asked if she had to wear ribbed tights as I think they are the problem. Thick opaque tights are a better option imo, and look better with a more elegant flat or low-heeled shoe. She could also consider knee-high boots.

I wear a black patent loafer out of Pavers. They are quite smart.
Also a pair of Reiker tan leather lace up walking boots. They have a trim of multi coloured fabric at the ankle and I have various coloured laces to make them look funky. I wear them on a cold/dull/wet day.

I wear ankle boots with everything. The only shoes I wear are walking shoes and slip on trainers.
How about looking at Hotter shoes or Riekers.

I wear loafers with tights and a dress.

Trainers

Clarks do some lovely chunky brogues.

www.moshulu.co.uk/curlew-suede-derby-shoes-p699/s40451?cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1s3Ea9z5TFH6n7zZW0rznPkAuNuL3yv8_i2C2uJlfN8ai-w_QQ7vXMaAnv5EALw_wcB

A chunky brogue with a slight heel.

Loafers with a block heal look good with tights. I tend to wear lace up ankle boots that fit close to the ankle with a heel. Usually Marco Tozzi.