<p>Offshore wind turbine foundations must withstand cyclic loads generated by wind and waves. In current practice, irregular site-specific load histories are typically idealized as uniform-amplitude cycles arranged in ascending order (IAL) with constant average shear stress. This study investigates the influence of loading sequence on the undrained cyclic behavior of normally consolidated marine soft clay using triaxial cyclic tests. Nine tests with ascending (IAL), descending (IDL), and mix-sorted (MSL) sequences were conducted to assess strain accumulation, pore-pressure development, stiffness degradation, and post-cyclic undrained shear behavior. A critical cyclic stress ratio of <i>q</i>_cyc/<i>q</i>^max_cyc ≈ 0.5 was identified, separating stable cyclic response from degradation-dominated behavior. Loading sequence exerts strong control on cyclic response: IDL results in the greatest stiffness degradation and strain/pore-pressure accumulation, followed by MSL and IAL, primarily due to the early application of high cyclic stresses. Increasing average shear stress <i>q</i>ₐᵥₑ from 0 to 70&#xa0;kPa magnifies sequence effects, approximately doubling accumulated strain and tripling pore-pressure buildup between IDL and IAL. These findings demonstrate that Miner’s rule, which neglects loading order, is not applicable to soft clay. When a relatively high <i>q</i>_cyc ​ occurs early in the loading history, special caution and a higher safety factor are warranted. Undrained cyclic loading also generates excess pore pressure and reduces effective stress, leading to more dilative post-cyclic monotonic behavior and an apparent overconsolidation effect. Overall, both loading sequence and the combined effects of <i>q</i>_cyc and <i>q</i>ₐᵥₑ must be incorporated into offshore wind-turbine foundation design. IDL loading with elevated <i>q</i>ₐᵥₑ provides a more reliable representation of soil response, whereas conventional IAL may underestimate deformation and pore-pressure development.</p>