CruiserBruce

Doesn't matter what you call it, the OP asked about a library and that is where it is. The size of the library is not huge on any HAL ship...just a fact of life. It's not because someone at HAL is on the take, which seems to your common reasoning.

Don't recall a shuttle.

Crows Nest.

Without knowing your TA, hard to say. I would trust somebody I know over somebody I am randomly going to meet by phone. A number of people buy insurance, probably more since Covid. Can't say what percentage that is. There is a board here on insurance plans and ideas...like the very good insuremytrip.com. Also know exactly what your insurance covers outside the US.

Ah, what port/city? "Reasonable" is a tremendously vague term, particularly if you are asking about tourist areas of a major city.

I would ask this on the RCI board.

Was at DFW last summer. My first visit in a very long time. It was a cluster. I would definitely be there 2 hours ahead for domestic.

It typically will open at 6:30 for continental breakfast and 7am for full breakfast, on sea days. On days in port, it will typically fully open at least one hour before scheduled arrival. Sometimes the 30 minutes of continental breakfast gets rolled in, sometimes there is still that separate 30 minutes. The demographic for who eats when varies by cruise...its not the same every cruise. But generally, yes, it will be a little quieter closer to opening, particularly on sea days...everyone is sleeping in. Port days it can be pretty busy at opening. On the final day...disembarking day, it will be jammed at opening.

True. Well documented on the Panama Canal board. Also, more efficient for only the ships that need the larger locks to use them, as they use a lot of water. And most would say the old locks are more interesting. The history and feat of engineering is fantastic.

The Behind the Scenes tours have not been offered since before Covid.

Again, it's a check in time, not boarding.

Notice I said "shoots for".

No, that was actually your check in time...if you are talking about the "assigned time" on your boarding pass. And you will notice I said "shoots". Its not an exact time etched in cement.

HAL always shoots for boarding to start around 11:30. Every cruise.

HMC was acquired and developed by HAL, before being absorbed into the Carnival umbrella, not Carnival. Really, it's HAL's private island, not Carnival's, historically. And, yes, HAL typically charges more than Carnival does there. But HAL offers some things Carnival doesn't.

Been discussed here frequently the times don't matter. By the way, those are check in times, not boarding times.

My best advice is to just get out and be active...yes, it may be a little tough as it gets dark in your new location, but the more active you are, and the less sitting, TV watching or reading you do, the better.

We do the same thing no matter what direction we fly. We make every effort to stay awake until close to normal bedtime in the new location. Seems to work pretty well, but every trip is a little different.

Yes, TheBus is an option. More efficiently, a taxi or an Uber would also be options.

July 7th might be the day the OP is in port, July 2 might be the day the ship sails.

I will link you to your Roll Call tomorrow if nobody else does before then. I will say it's getting a little late in the game, but not out of the question.

Giving info like ship you are on would help us help you.

The exact same question was asked an hour before yours...

Whether the jet lag is worse east or west bound varies by person. There is no hard and fast rule. Book business class or Premium Economy with lay flat or reclining seats, and get some sleep. Most likely you will depart ATL in the mid to late morning, and fly out of the West Coast at about 10pm. So if you can get 4-6 (or more) hours of sleep going over, that helps a lot, as it sort of mimics body time. Going east bound is tougher for sleep, as you are probably going to depart Australia about 10am, and get into the West Coast first thing in the morning, then connect to ATL. Not anything close to normal sleep times. We just try to get sleep when and where possible on the flights.

The only time we book hotels or transfers through the cruise line is a very late or complicated arrival (particularly if language is an issue). Otherwise we always book our own. Cruise line air fares can be cheaper at times, particularly on one way international flights. But we haven't booked air through a cruise line in 30 years.