It seems to be an unpleasant trend. Airlines are cutting services and adding new charges. Resorts are sneaking in hidden charges. Even my cable TV service at home has found new ways to boost the price. So it is surprisingly wonderful to see all the complimentary extras on my Viking Kara cruise.

I had only been on the ship one day and already I noticed little pluses that mean so much to travelers. I’m going to list some of them below – in no particular order – just to show what no-charge bonuses are offered on the Kara.

Here goes:

1. Free ship-wide WiFi that works surprisingly well in cabins in some locations on the Rhine River. The ship also has a small business office with two computers that passengers can use free of charge. It irks me that so many hotels, airports, and cruise ships charge outrageous sums for WiFi. Good for you, Viking River Cruises.

2. Complimentary beer, wine, and soft drinks are included with every lunch and dinner. I’m not much of a drinker but I do like a cola with my meal and it seems stupid to pay what many cruise lines charge for soft drinks. It’s like a blast from the past to have big glass bottle of Coke served on the Kara. Always seem to taste better from a glass bottle.

3. Shore excursions included in the cruise price. Some cruise lines charge $100 per person or more for a shore excursion. On the Kara, we usually had the choice of several excursions each day. Several days we also had optional charged tours but the prices weren’t bad, 39 Euros or about $43 for a World War II tour. That tour lasted four hours and included a large comfortable bus plus a tour guide extraordinaire.

4. The ship features all outside cabins so every passenger had a beautiful view as we cruised. I’ve never booked one but some of the large cruise ships have small inside cabins with no windows at all. Sounds so claustrophobic.

5. A refrigerator in my cabin. It was nicely hidden behind a wood cover and I heard other passengers say it was a very welcome plus.

6. l’Occitane toiletries in our bathrooms. Love the clean verbena scent. We had more-than-one-use bottles of lotion, shampoo, body wash, conditioner, and big bars of soap, plus a small vanity pack with Q-tips and cotton balls, along with a shower cap. The bottles were replaced if we used them up.

7. Bathrobe available in our cabins. I travel with carry-on luggage so not having to pack a bathrobe sure saves suitcase room.

8. Umbrellas near the ship entry for passenger use. Again, umbrellas can come in handy but I sure don’t like to have to pack one in my suitcase.

Story and photo by Jackie Sheckler Finch