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purpledragon

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    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

    Hi there, absolutely agree about this 144 transit which isn't valid if a ship goes for example Japan, Shanghai, back to Japan. So here comes a question which I have asked on another thread and as yet no answer.... See if you (or anyone else) can solve it:

    Ship is Japan, Shanghai, Japan and two days in Shanghai. So book a group tour through the ship and off you go on day 1 with visa granted. Day 2 arrives (or even afternoon on day 1). Can you now leave the ship without the 'group tour' need and trot off on your own?

    Happy solving..... John

     

    John...2 different visa waivers are in play. The 144 hr one relies on the ABC country transit (would not work for your senario), Princess will not even consider this for their cruises, even if ABC countries are right. The 15 day one is the one cruise passengers can use if they book a ship tour.

    I will just add I got a visa so I could do a private tour and my guide said he felt we should be able to enter without visa but of course we have to follow the cruise line rules. The cuise companies will have to up- their tour list I think as more people will be avoiding teh visa fees.

    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

    "You would not qualify for this 144 hr waiver unless you were leaving the ship in Shanghai and flying to a third country. If you are sailing in and out and using a ship tour Or staying on board) then the 15 day visa waiver is the one that will be applied. This one started in Oct."

    Where in the official rules do you see that you cannot arrive and leave by ships if you are going to a 3rd country?

    http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

    and

    http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

     

    Official rules mean nothing if the cruise companies are interpreting differently, they are the ones who decide if you can board without a visa. I agree the rules to me mean cruise ship passengers in port for the day should have free passage. BUT...

    The cruise lines are not allowing this 144 hr waiver to be used for spending a day and leaving by same ship.( the cruise lines are saying we are not in transit.),so that to me makes it unusable. The 15 day one is allowed to be used and if you are staying on board, doing a ship tour or you have a tour operator that can do the paperwork for you.

    My personal tour operator in Shanghai,spoke to the officials and tells me "Every cruise company has contract with a domestic travel agency and all passengers in any trip are thus guaranteed by that travel agency which is a necessary condition required by law. So in practice, you, like other cruise passengers though many may take group/bus tours, shall be also beneficiaries of the new 15-day visa free policy." and then went on to say "If you understand that, it would be clear that the cruise company holds the final interpretation and their contracted travel agency is the tour operator."

     

    So still the cruise companies holding us to ransom, by insisting on using their tours. I had no time left to persue this with cruise company so I now have purchased my visa for my April visit as I want to use my private guide.

    Travelmore do you know of any passengers on any lines that has gone by ship to Shanghai for the day and has been able to use the 144 hr visa waiver. I only know of ones that where boarding ship in Shanghai or leaving the ship to fly out. I would be interested in that as I have been asking about this for 144 months now to no avail, but the 15 day waiver especially for cruise that can into play in Oct is being used.

    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

     

    You would not qualify for this 144 hr waiver unless you were leaving the ship in Shanghai and flying to a third country. If you are sailing in and out and using a ship tour Or staying on board) then the 15 day visa waiver is the one that will be applied. This one started in Oct.

    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

    Just got this in an email regarding my March sailing

     

    UPDATE TO CHINESE VISA REQUIREMENT Please be advised that visa requirements for your voyage have been updated. A Chinese visa is not required for most guests if participating on a Princess- organized shore excursion in Shanghai. Guests who wish to sightsee on their own outside of a Princess shore excursion must obtain a single-entry Chinese visa prior to the voyage. Guests participating in independent shore excursions should contact their tour operator to see if a visa may be obtained on their behalf. Guests who wish to stay aboard in Shanghai will not require a visa.

    ​

    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

    There are BOTH 72 hour and 144 hour visas available, I have added an additional link to my post directly from the Shanghai P.R.C. Immigration website to further clarify. Indeed most cruise travelers do seem to obtain the 144 hour visa even though they are in port for a day. Thank you for your post, it helped me to make provide more clarity and avoid any confusion I might have caused. I've posted on this numerous times and have visited China - appreciate your willingness to be so very helpful. :)

     

    Thank you Colleen and to add to the Visa confusion since October there is a 15 day visa waiver for cruise passengers arriving in Shanghai, that you need to be part of a tour too use.

    China visa for 1 day port in Shanghai on Princess or Celebrity

    in Asia

    Posted

    There is no such thing as a 72-hour visa free transit in Shanghai. It was replaced a year ago with a 144-hour one. If you look at the link in the post above, you may notice that Shanghai is not on the list.

    Here is a copy of the official policy: http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=40&id=4421

    You need to check with your cruise company to make sure that they are ok with this and that the cruise meets the requirements.

     

    I am having trouble with your post....the link you supplied goes to the Shanghai General Website and the last topic on the left hand side is about the 72-hour visa free transit. And also you say the link in the post above yours does not list Shanghai, when in fact it most certainly does. Second paragraph, headed Cities enjoying the Policy...the 2nd city listed IS Shanghai.

    India cruise in February 2017

    in Asia

    Posted

    Did Colombo January this year. Hubby and I hired a guide thru Viator ....Thomas Sam Samarakoon

    Email: samsamarakoon@ymail.com

    He was willing to go anywhere we wanted. We went down the Sth west coast. Good day, good vehicle, good guide. Hardest part was getting out of the dock area. We walked but should have got the shuttle to the gate.

    Do I need a Sri Lanka Visa

    in Australia & New Zealand Cruisers

    Posted

    I have a stop in Sri Lanka next year. It is not mentioned in Princess personaliser....India I have to get myself and Mozambique Princess do for us.(these are the only 2 mentioned.

    So do I need to get for Sri Lanka. Princess are giving the response .. it is our responsibility that we have all required travel documents.

    Is our stop classed as a transit ...would not need one then. Any one who has stopped at Sri lanka on Princess I would appreciate your input.

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