L'Impressionniste Cabins
When considering the cabin sizes on L'Impressionniste, you really have to scale down your expectations; think "boat" rather than "ship." For a boat, the cabins are spacious and well appointed. They are, nonetheless, generally small and tight for those used to more expansive cruise ship cabins with several amenities.
On L'Impressionniste there are no televisions, no telephones, no radios, no balconies and no room service. While there is a central air-conditioning system, it can be set on either heat or cool, but not both. It was hot during the day and quite chilly at night on our voyage, but the air system remained on "cool." We did need extra blankets for nighttime.
To get to the cabin deck, you descend a staircase that's wide enough for two, so those with walking difficulties can take a companion's arm. The forward rooms are up another short set of steps.
There are three different cabin configurations, all of which are cheerfully referred to as "suites" or "junior suites." Our room, the Cezanne Suite, had twin beds placed perpendicular to each other and a small night table with a reading lamp. No other furniture would fit, but there is also a small closet for hanging clothing and large under-bed drawers. Bedding consists of high-thread-count sheets and pillowcases, and a duvet cover over a blanket. As in most of Europe, the duvet itself constitutes the top sheet. Electricity is 220 or 240 volts; you need to bring an adapter if you want to charge camera batteries or use anything else with North American-based current.
The bathroom is covered in marble, has a granite-topped vanity, huge fluffy towels and bath sheets, L'Occitane en Provence amenities and a powerful, large, tiled shower with a glass door. Shampoo, shower gel, conditioner and soap are included, but no lotion. We were happy to see that washcloths were also provided, not a usual item in European bathrooms. Each bathroom also has a hairdryer ... but it doesn't work in the bathroom since there is a 115-volt plug for razors only; it must be used in the room itself. (We couldn't get ours to work at all.)
There is one other cabin in the same configuration, the Pisarro Suite. Both of these are on the starboard side forward and have fairly large oblong windows, one of which opens. (Both of these suites also have an odd and slightly cramped toilet placement.) Also forward is the larger Renoir Suite (155 square ft.), which spans the bow, offers a nice armoire for storage and has a full-sized tub. This is available in a double-bed configuration only.
The cabins at the aft of the ship are on the lower level. Two of them, the Degas Suite and the Sisley Suite, measure 135 square ft. and have beds that can be arranged as twins or doubles, two night stands, a bathroom with shower, and small portholes barely above the waterline. The aft suite, Monet, at 165 square ft., is the largest. It also has small portholes and a bathroom with full-sized tub, and can be made up as either twin or double.
Decor in all of the cabins is a mix of light oak and pale wallpaper with fixtures reminiscent of the early 1900s. Although they have them, the crew does not provide keys, so the doors remain unlocked; they prefer you to think of the barge as your "home" for the six nights that you are onboard.