Viking Kadlin - Versailles On Your Own?

I'm looking into arranging a Versailles tour on our own, as it seems the one offered by Viking is an unnecessary expense. We'd be doing this on Day 7 of the cruise when the Kadlin is docked in Conflans. I'm wondering if anyone else has done this? If we take the RER C I believe we first have to travel quite a ways back toward Paris and what should be a short trip will take 1.5 hours. If we take a taxi or Uber I believe it'll be approx $50-60.

Anyone arranged Versailles on your own? What transportation did you take? What time did you leave the ship and arrive in Versailles?

We did the half- day Viking tour in 2014. They got us there early and we were the first group into the palace, a great advantage since we avoided the worst of the crowds. The tour guide was very interesting, and we had plenty of free time after the tour to explore the gardens. It was no hassle and, IMO, worth the cost. Of course, it's personal preference but I can recommend Viking for this one.

I agree with LFS517. I usually book my own tours on a regular ocean cruise, but I have been to Versailles three times and strongly suggest you go on Viking's tour. The first time we were there thirty years ago, we were able to enter and use a guide to take us around and had a leisurely time in the gardens. The last time we were there which was five years ago with our granddaughter, we did a private tour from our hotel and the driver/guide took us to the front of the line, bought our tickets and came back for us at a set time. The lines are very long (maybe because of terrorism they aren't as long now) and the tickets come with an audible tour. I don't know if Viking has a guide who will be taking your group around the Palace, but I think you should spend the money and go with Viking. On my third trip there, I finally bought the beautiful photo book of Versailles since I am at the end of my traveling days and love looking at it from time to time.

Sheila

We visited Versailles while in Paris in 2015. Just take the RER out to Versailles. You don't need your own tour guide.

Dredging this up to answer my own question. On Day 7 of Viking Kadlin Paris to Normandy, the ship docked in Mantes-la-Jolie around 1 am and left for Le Pecq around 2 pm arriving at 7 pm. The concierge told me there was no train service to Versailles from Mantes to do the trip on our own but this was untrue. We took the RER C from Gare Mantes-la-Jolie (NOT Mantes station - which was a small station for commuter trains to Paris) to Chateau Versailles stop then took an Uber to Versailles. Afterwards (because we had so much time until The Kadlin docked in Le Pecq at 7 pm), we took the RER into Paris and then the RER A to St Germaine En Laye and walked to the Kadlin. We saved a lot of money doing it on our own but beware it was a 12 hour day and it was confusing locating the correct RER platforms. The RER trains were harder for me to navigate than the Paris metro. To me, it was worth it since Viking's tour was too short to do Versailles, the gardens, and the Trianons and cost $300 for two ppl.

Dredging this up to answer my own question. On Day 7 of Viking Kadlin Paris to Normandy, the ship docked in Mantes-la-Jolie around 1 am and left for Le Pecq around 2 pm arriving at 7 pm. The concierge told me there was no train service to Versailles from Mantes to do the trip on our own but this was untrue. We took the RER C from Gare Mantes-la-Jolie (NOT Mantes station - which was a small station for commuter trains to Paris) to Chateau Versailles stop then took an Uber to Versailles. Afterwards (because we had so much time until The Kadlin docked in Le Pecq at 7 pm), we took the RER into Paris and then the RER A to St Germaine En Laye and walked to the Kadlin. We saved a lot of money doing it on our own but beware it was a 12 hour day and it was confusing locating the correct RER platforms. The RER trains were harder for me to navigate than the Paris metro. To me, it was worth it since Viking's tour was too short to do Versailles, the gardens, and the Trianons and cost $300 for two ppl.

We went to Versailles on our own in September. It is fairly easy to do from many points in Paris and the surrounding area. However, if you go on a Saturday or Sunday when many more people go there, use the Viking tour to get ahead of the crowds.

You can also book the 9:30 am private apartments tour for less than 10 euros which will jump you ahead of the lines. But beware the tour time cannot be changed to the later tour if you aren't there on time. We missed ours due to going to the wrong Mantes station in the morning.

We visited Versailles while in Paris in 2015. Just take the RER out to Versailles. You don't need your own tour guide.

Last year, we joined a bicycle tour of Versailles from the Viking Rinda.

https://www.fattiretours.com/paris/tours/Versailles-Bike-Tour

It worked very well for us, however you will have to work out the logistics.:)