Visa for China

[Happy2roam]

Can I use the 24 hour Visa exemption for a Cruise Port?

 

I am cruising on the Celebrity Millennium 16 October 16- 30 October 16.

 

I have heard that Shanghai will allow cruise passengers a one day visit visa free. We begin the cruise in Yokohama, Japan. After our 16 hour stop in Shanghai our next port is Okinawa, Japan. Is it true we will not need to have a China Visa? and can use the 24 hour visa exemption in port and not airport

 

Here are the ports on our itinerary:

 

Yokohama, Japan

 

Shimizu, Japan

 

Kobe, Japan

 

Shanghai (Baoshan), China

 

Okinawa, Japan

 

Taipei ( Keelung ), Taiwan

 

Hong Kong, China

 

Below is the information on the 24 hour exeption

 

The 24-hour visa exemption

 

Nearly all nationalities can transit in China for a period not exceeding 24 hours as determined by scheduled flight arrival and departure times. The fact that the flight may be arriving or departing late is not relevant, it is all based on scheduled times. You must already have confirmed onward tickets, standby tickets are not valid to qualify.

 

So do we need them or not!!!!!!!

 

A very concerned cruiser

 

Happy2roam

[Canada17]

Can I use the 24 hour Visa exemption for a Cruise Port?

 

I am cruising on the Celebrity Millennium 16 October 16- 30 October 16.

 

I have heard that Shanghai will allow cruise passengers a one day visit visa free. We begin the cruise in Yokohama, Japan. After our 16 hour stop in Shanghai our next port is Okinawa, Japan. Is it true we will not need to have a China Visa? and can use the 24 hour visa exemption in port and not airport

 

Here are the ports on our itinerary:

 

Yokohama, Japan

 

Shimizu, Japan

 

Kobe, Japan

 

Shanghai (Baoshan), China

 

Okinawa, Japan

 

Taipei ( Keelung ), Taiwan

 

Hong Kong, China

 

Below is the information on the 24 hour exeption

 

The 24-hour visa exemption

 

Nearly all nationalities can transit in China for a period not exceeding 24 hours as determined by scheduled flight arrival and departure times. The fact that the flight may be arriving or departing late is not relevant, it is all based on scheduled times. You must already have confirmed onward tickets, standby tickets are not valid to qualify.

 

So do we need them or not!!!!!!!

 

A very concerned cruiser

 

Happy2roam

 

We are on the same cruise. Please check out the Roll call for Millie on Oct 16 and you will find a lot of discussions on this Visa issue. IMO (and most of the others), getting a visa will relieve the angst of whether its required or not. No one, not even Celebrity appear to have a handle on this issue. Certainly don't want to be arguing this visa requirement issue with a port agent when you are boarding in Yokohama. Just my opinion.....

[WAVTAM]

The exemption not only covers flights , but cruisers. Do not need a visa.

[newport dave]

The 24hr Visa exemption is only for flights. The 144hr visa exemption includes cruises, BUT, you need to be traveling on to a THIRD country when you leave China. I am also on the Millie 16th Oct cruise, and we go back to Japan(Okinawa) so we are not transiting to a 3rd country. So need a visa.

[Canada17]

The 24hr Visa exemption is only for flights. The 144hr visa exemption includes cruises, BUT, you need to be traveling on to a THIRD country when you leave China. I am also on the Millie 16th Oct cruise, and we go back to Japan(Okinawa) so we are not transiting to a 3rd country. So need a visa.

 

Hi Newport Dave;

 

You and I are in total agreement. Also, apparently for our Oct 16 cruise, edocs are available and some of our fellow cruisers have downloaded them (I still don't see ours yet when I logged in) and within the edocs it is clearly noted that we need a visa for this cruise. To each their own.......

[newport dave]

Hi Newport Dave;

 

You and I are in total agreement. Also, apparently for our Oct 16 cruise, edocs are available and some of our fellow cruisers have downloaded them (I still don't see ours yet when I logged in) and within the edocs it is clearly noted that we need a visa for this cruise. To each their own.......

 

Can't download our edocs/tags either. Maybe it's done alphabetically on surname, ours starts with a S.

 

At the end of the day, I'd rather waste a couple hundred quid on visas and not need them(still be peed off), then not bother and possibly lose thousands by being denied boarding in Japan.

Edited August 29, 2016 by newport dave

[sandyss]

Still no definitive statement from Celebrity!!

 

We are on the 9/18 cruise and just received a notice today regarding Visas. Please note the word "MAY" in the notice.:

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

We would like to provide you with some important information regarding your cruise on the September 18, 2016 sailing of Celebrity Millennium out of the Osanbashi Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan.

 

Due to immigration requirements for the itinerary, guests may require a visa for China. Guests should check with their local consulate for details pertaining to Chinese visas requirements. Please keep in mind that seaport visa requirements are different than airport visa requirements.

 

All guests must bring one photocopy of their passport picture page to check in.

 

Thank you for your cooperation and we are looking forward to welcoming you onboard Celebrity Millennium.

 

Sincerely,

 

Celebrity Cruises

[Bobocasey]

Anytime you deal with the Chinese government it can get tricky.

[late2cruisin]

Still no definitive statement from Celebrity!!

 

We are on the 9/18 cruise and just received a notice today regarding Visas. Please note the word "MAY" in the notice.:

 

Dear Valued Guest,

 

We would like to provide you with some important information regarding your cruise on the September 18, 2016 sailing of Celebrity Millennium out of the Osanbashi Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan.

 

Due to immigration requirements for the itinerary, guests may require a visa for China. Guests should check with their local consulate for details pertaining to Chinese visas requirements. Please keep in mind that seaport visa requirements are different than airport visa requirements.

 

All guests must bring one photocopy of their passport picture page to check in.

 

Thank you for your cooperation and we are looking forward to welcoming you onboard Celebrity Millennium.

 

Sincerely,

 

Celebrity Cruises

 

We are on the same cruise. If you're flying home from Shanghai within 144 hours, you should not need to purchase a visa. (If you plan to travel to another part of China or if you're on a back to back, you probably will need to get a visa.) If we are denied boarding in Yokohama...well, we won't be the only ones!

[sandyss]

We are on the same cruise. If you're flying home from Shanghai within 144 hours, you should not need to purchase a visa. (If you plan to travel to another part of China or if you're on a back to back, you probably will need to get a visa.) If we are denied boarding in Yokohama...well, we won't be the only ones!

 

Exactly. The September 18th cruise that ends in Shanghai is very clear-cut as to the visa-free-transit situation. If you are staying less than 144 hours in Shanghai, and then flying anywhere, with the exception of China and South Korea, you do not need a visa. If your plans differ from this scenario, then you probably need to obtain a visa.

 

Why Celebrity cannot put out a statement to this effect stumps me! Even at this late date, they do not have their act together.

[Miaminice]

Why Celebrity cannot put out a statement to this effect stumps me! Even at this late date, they do not have their act together.

 

Very simple:

 

There are just too many nationalities on board for Celebrity to make a statement correct for all of them.

The China visa regulation (as many others) does not apply to all nationalities so Celebrity is correct in saying individuals should check the regulations.

 

Personally, I have no problem with that. I am grown up and I can book cruises going all over the world. So I am just as able to check what documents I need - and I actually prefer finding out myself instead of trusting someone else. In some countries cruiselines simply work with visa agencies receiving comission on every visa sold - necessary or not. So they will always be tempted to tell you to "just in case" get a visa ;)

Edited August 30, 2016 by Miaminice

[late2cruisin]

In some countries cruiselines simply work with visa agencies receiving comission on every visa sold - necessary or not. So they will always be tempted to tell you to "just in case" get a visa ;)

 

And indeed this seems to be the case with Celebrity. Every time I book a cruise that MIGHT involve a visa, they always send me a link to the company that they "work with". And there's always an extra fee. And this company will advise you to get a visa whether you would qualify for the free transfer visa or not.