Feeling bored by your travel options for 2017? Not inspired enough to make use of your annual leave next year? With the release of Rogue One, we’ve been thinking outside-the-box (or rather, the planet) when it comes to travel. Using our expert knowledge, as well as some inspiration from our favourite films, shows and books, we’ve put together our wishlist of intergalactic destinations to visit.
From bustling metropolises to arctic slopes, pour yourself a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster and make sure your portal gun is fully charged. We may still be a good few years away in terms of technology, but when we’ve finally advanced enough to get further than the moon and back, we’ll be ready to give you the top guide of places you need to visit. And after all, with infinite galaxies, dimensions and possibilities, who’s to say these places only exist in our imaginations? There’s a whole universe out there to cruise to.
- Coruscant – Star Wars
Ripped apart by years of conflict, most of the Galaxy Far Far Away is somewhere you wouldn’t want to cruise to. Can you imagine a brochure for trip to the Death Star or Tatooine, for instance? Even the film location for Tatooine is, tragically, currently unvisitable. Coruscant, however, is a planet-sized city with thousand-storey skyscrapers, the streets bathed with neon lights. Perhaps not somewhere you would want to live (I don’t even want to imagine the carbon emissions from a city that size), it would still be fascinating as a cruise stopover.
The closest to Coruscant we can manage on Earth right now is Hong Kong or Tokyo, both of which are popular cruise destinations for travellers who cruise from the UK or the US. Although we haven’t yet developed the architectural structures to allow thousand-storey buildings, you’ll still feel like an ant in the shadow of these Asian metropolises.
- Endor – Star Wars
If you’re a fan of watching indigenous creatures in their natural environment, then a cruise to Endor to see the Ewoks is definitely one to put high up on your wishlist. The peaceful, tree-dwelling creatures live in a beautiful forest ecosystem with many different characters to charm a flora and fauna loving traveler.
Of course, there’s a strong chance you’ll find nothing but an empty planet, thanks to the ending of The Return of the Jedi which might have left the Ewoks extinct.
- Gallifrey – Doctor Who
Gallifrey, the home of the Doctor himself, is a planet in a binary star system within the constellation of Kasterborous. The Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan, describes the planet as having “bright, silver-leafed trees and a burnt orange sky at night”, however it appears to have a blue sky during the day.
Over the series, the Doctors themselves describe Gallifrey having “rocks [that] weren’t gray at all — but they were red, brown and purple and gold” and vast mountain ranges “with fields of deep red grass, capped with snow”. Gallifrey has two suns which would “rise in the south and the mountains would shine”. The trees had leaves of silver which in the mornings resembled “a forest on fire”.
Aside from getting to explore the world which has given us great Time Lords, Gallifrey sounds like a beautiful planet to experience on holiday.
- Milliways – Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
NCL Cruises and Royal Caribbean may be proud of their menus, but they have nothing on Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. While you eat your meal, you can watch the Gnab Gib, the Big Bang in Reverse. This attraction would also be accessible to most, as the meal only costs a penny in the present time deposited into any bank account. By the time the Gnab Gib arrives, the interest accumulated is enough to pay your bill. It’s certainly an unmissable addition to any intergalactic cruise itinerary, even if your food does introduce itself to you before your meal.
- Beaumonde – Firefly
The space Western created by Joss Whedon is hardly a Utopia, but it would certainly be interesting to experience the after-effects of a universal civil war. While the majority of the planets sound like nothing too exciting, Beaumonde roughly translated from French means “Beautiful World.” Although the planet is heavily industrialised, the countryside still retains some beauty. The city of New Dunsmuir, built on an ocean, features carefully maintained avenues of trees and flowers and is a popular tourist destination.
The closest we can currently get to New Dunsmuir as a destination is Dubai, also a man-made city built on an ocean. Easily accessible with a Cruise from the UK, there’s thankfully no risk of pirates and smugglers, unlike the world in which the crew of Firefly exist.
- Bird World, Replacement Dimension – Rick and Morty
Bird World, where Bird Person lives, is a peaceful and tree-filled planet in the Replacement Dimension. Travellers who visit would get to enjoy the peaceful scenery, although finding human food might be hard. Luckily, this is where cruising comes in handy. You can eat on the ship before exploring the beautiful planet populated by bird people — a morally upstanding race who live by a strict code of conduct.
Unfortunately, it looks like it won’t be in our lifetime that we get to explore the outer reaches of the universe. Although Royal Caribbean released an announcement saying that their ‘Orbiter of the Galaxy’ would be ready for launch in 2030, this turned out to just be a rather excellent April Fools prank. In the meantime, we’ll have to keep ourselves satisfied with dreaming, as well as visiting Hong Kong, Dubai, and the other parts of the world which are as close as we can get right now to these intergalactic destinations.
Paul Edge, director of Cruise Club UK, has spent over 25 years working to improve the travel industry. When not in the office, he’s on a Cruise from the UK relaxing on the deck with Ford Prefect, Arthur Dent, and a couple of Wookies.
*all photos from Fotofolio*
Ringworld, Dyscworld, & the planet in Star Trek with the green hotties.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, Lilyn!
Same to you, sir!