We are USA citizens leaving a cruise ship at Shanghai in February, 2010, staying overnight at a Shanghai hotel and departing 36 hours after arrival to return to the USA by direct flight (one group) and via Tokoyo to USA (second group). Can we stay in Shanghai for 36 hours without a Chinese visa? Paragraphs copied below are from Shanghai Police news release dated 17 December 2007 concerning confusion about the 48 hour visa free policy. Note we are entering via the Shanghai port and departing from Pudong airport flying to our country of citizenship.
Thank you.

"The travelers must already have a connecting-flight ticket before landing in Shanghai and the destination of the flights must be in a country different from his own and China."

Shanghai's two international airports are the only channels on Chinese mainland from where qualified nationals could enter the country by the 48-hour visa free policy.