retep55555 Posted January 19, 2018 #1 Share Posted January 19, 2018 We are going to Shanghai for the day in March on the Arcadia. I am from Australia. I have been told that you no longer need a visa to visit Shanghai on a cruise ship I have also been told that you have to do a ship’s excursion if you want to get off the ship. Is this correct? What happens if you do a half day excursion which say ends at 1pm and you are in port till midnight.... do you have to go back to the ship after the excursion and be confined or can you do your own thing off the ship? Ideally I would like to not get a visa and be able to organise my own private tour guide. Any info or advice greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.M.T. Posted January 19, 2018 #2 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Never believe what other people tell you about visa requirements, things can change overnight. 1. Check to see what your cruise line says. 2, Do a search on this forum - lots of messages. 3. Check what the web what the Chinese say their visa requirements are. 4. Check what the Australian Foreign Ministry say the visa requiremnts. 5. Check some chinese visa expediting web sites to see what they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep55555 Posted January 21, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Never believe what other people tell you about visa requirements, things can change overnight. 1. Check to see what your cruise line says. 2, Do a search on this forum - lots of messages. 3. Check what the web what the Chinese say their visa requirements are. 4. Check what the Australian Foreign Ministry say the visa requiremnts. 5. Check some chinese visa expediting web sites to see what they say. Great... thank you! After doing a bit more digging I have found the correct information. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylisa Posted January 21, 2018 #4 Share Posted January 21, 2018 Do call around for pricing locally for your visa. I found that the prices do vary by store to store. Doing it on our own was way cheaper than letting the ship obtain it for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karoo Posted January 21, 2018 #5 Share Posted January 21, 2018 If that is the only stop in Mainland China then you are eligible for 144 hour temporary entrance for Shanghai. So no visa is needed. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.M.T. Posted January 21, 2018 #6 Share Posted January 21, 2018 If that is the only stop in Mainland China then you are eligible for 144 hour temporary entrance for Shanghai. So no visa is needed. Sent from my iPhone using Forums The 144 hour visa is not applicable for one day visit, it can be used when disembarking in Shanghai and flying to a third country (i.e. home). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roberts2005 Posted January 21, 2018 #7 Share Posted January 21, 2018 What about a ship’s tour on a one day visit to Sanya, China. Ship’s only stop in China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loeb Posted January 21, 2018 #8 Share Posted January 21, 2018 What about a ship’s tour on a one day visit to Sanya, China. Ship’s only stop in China When we were there in 2015, Hainan Island was an exception to the visa policy for the rest of China, no visa was required when we went on ship's excursion (similar to Saint Petersburg in Russia) Here is what is on their tourist site Visa-free entry policy Individual tourists with Singapore, Japan, Brunei and Mongolia passports are able to enjoy visa-free acess to Sanya or Hainan for up to 15 days. Tourists groups who hold passports from 26 countries can enjoy visa-free access to Hainan for up to 15 days. They are Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Philippine, Indonesia, Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. Nationals of Russia, South Korea, and Germany can stay for up to 21 days with a tour group of a minimum of 2 people. This is the site: http://en.sanyatour.com/plan/before-you-go/visa-information-2/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep55555 Posted January 21, 2018 Author #9 Share Posted January 21, 2018 When we were there in 2015, Hainan Island was an exception to the visa policy for the rest of China, no visa was required when we went on ship's excursion (similar to Saint Petersburg in Russia) Here is what is on their tourist site Visa-free entry policy Individual tourists with Singapore, Japan, Brunei and Mongolia passports are able to enjoy visa-free acess to Sanya or Hainan for up to 15 days. Tourists groups who hold passports from 26 countries can enjoy visa-free access to Hainan for up to 15 days. They are Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Philippine, Indonesia, Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Netherlands, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, Kazakhstan. Nationals of Russia, South Korea, and Germany can stay for up to 21 days with a tour group of a minimum of 2 people. This is the site: http://en.sanyatour.com/plan/before-you-go/visa-information-2/ Thank you.... I have found out that the 15 day exemption does apply to our cruise BUT you have to book a tour from the ship as they apply for the exemption prior to arrival OR if you book a tour with a private tour company they have to be approved to apply for visa waiver on your behalf. You have to produce evidence to the ship before they will let you off. Now to find a tour company that does this..... Thanks all for your advice and help. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgorr Posted January 21, 2018 #10 Share Posted January 21, 2018 We are going to Shanghai for the day in March on the Arcadia. I am from Australia. I have been told that you no longer need a visa to visit Shanghai on a cruise ship I have also been told that you have to do a ship’s excursion if you want to get off the ship. Is this correct? What happens if you do a half day excursion which say ends at 1pm and you are in port till midnight.... do you have to go back to the ship after the excursion and be confined or can you do your own thing off the ship? Ideally I would like to not get a visa and be able to organise my own private tour guide. Any info or advice greatly appreciated.Thank you. Sent from my iPad using Forums My experience last Easter was that when you did an excursion the visa was covered. We were allowed to then spend the rest of the day in Shanghai and made our own way back to the ship. The tour guide gave us the information in Chinese to get back to the ship. We were on the Celebrity Millennium. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happydays42 Posted February 12, 2018 #11 Share Posted February 12, 2018 We are on the Sunshine Coast and appear to be on the same cruise. Just booked today. Any luck with a Shanghai tour? Ta. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep55555 Posted February 19, 2018 Author #12 Share Posted February 19, 2018 We are on the Sunshine Coast and appear to be on the same cruise. Just booked today.Any luck with a Shanghai tour? Ta. Sent from my iPad using Forums Oops! Sorry just saw your message. Yes we have booked a 10 hour private tour for 7 of us. I had to send copies of our passports and they arrange the “visa” which are at no cost. Hopefully it will all pan out on the day.... they have assured us all will be ok. Are you getting on in Brisbane? Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happydays42 Posted February 19, 2018 #13 Share Posted February 19, 2018 No prob. We have been there before, but due to the late notice of being on the cruise we booked on through the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retep55555 Posted March 17, 2018 Author #14 Share Posted March 17, 2018 You can read about our experience in this forum under “1 day in Shanghai” as it was a long reply. Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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