Entering Japan Via Port Stop;Do we get a temporary Tourist Visa Stamp?

I will be on the Celebrity Millenium Transpacific which goes from Vancouver to Japan and ends in Shanghai, China. I am planning on disembarking in Japan and touring on my own before flying back from Tokyo. I would like to buy the Japan Rail Tourist Pass prior to leaving for this cruise, so that I can save money on using the Bullet trains between cities.

My question is on the 1st port stop in Japan, will our passports be stamped with a tourist Visa? This stamp is required in order for us to exchange the JP Rail Pass voucher for the actual 7 day pass. Can anyone verify if our passports are stamped?

Thanks for any info that you can supply!

We've had our passports stamped whenever (and however) we've entered Japan. It hasn't mattered if we've arrived by air or by sea.

I do suggest you get approval from from the cruise line first. Japan has cabotage laws similar to the US, but since your cruise ends in China that shouldn't be a problem. Still, if it were us, I'd get the approval from Celebrity before buying the rail pass.

We've had our passports stamped whenever (and however) we've entered Japan. It hasn't mattered if we've arrived by air or by sea.

 

I do suggest you get approval from from the cruise line first. Japan has cabotage laws similar to the US, but since your cruise ends in China that shouldn't be a problem. Still, if it were us, I'd get the approval from Celebrity before buying the rail pass.

Thanks for your information. And yes, we did get approvals from Celebrity For early disembarkation. They issue what is called a 'Pre-downline Request Letter'.

The biggest headache was we STILL had to obtain the China Visa, since the cruise disembarks there. And of course the China Consulate had a field day with us trying to understand why we need a China Visa if we're NOT planning on entering the country. A very long story short, our TA was able to find a Celebrity representative that drafted a letter stating that it's the cruiseline's requirement for us to obtain the China Visa or we would be denied boarding the cruise. We did finally get the China Visa!!!

We have been to China twice, most recently 2 years ago, and NEVER been to Japan, so our decision was to disembark in Japan and tour the country on our own. We are staying an additional 8 nights to tour the country. Thanks again for your information!