When you play the Game of Cruise….You Win

I am sure many of you, like me, look forward to Monday nights at 9 o clock when you can sit down and immerse yourself into the seven kingdoms that is Game of Thrones.  Now I must confess, I am obsessed by this programme, I have watched all the episodes at least four times and I have read all of the books and I am eagerly anticipating the next in the series, which fingers crossed should be here later this year.

Those of you who have watched the show, will know that its own huge world and is set in a multitude of locations that all look absolutely stunning and draw you even further in to the programme.  Well did you know that you can appease your inner thrones desire with your cruise holiday as many of the cruise lines dock near to some of the most famous filming locations for the series.  I wasn’t too sure if this could be done, but after doing some research there is a whole lot more been added to my ever extending bucket list.

Why not cruise away to Kings Landing, for visit the Land Beyond the Wall where the wildlings and white walkers live?  I have put some of my finding below for you.

Iceland

Iceland probably offers some of the most stunning and dramatic scenery in the whole of the Game of Thrones series.  Often featured as the Land Beyond the Wall, due to in unspoilt frozen landscapes and towering glaciers.  Iceland is the country that is just begging to be explored. Why not follow Jon Snow and the men of the nights watch and explore the wildling lands?  Just make sure you avoid those white walkers!

Some of the cruise lines that feature Iceland are:

Princess Cruises, Fred Olsen, P&O, Cunard, Celebrity Cruises, Thomson

Malta

Way back when the series started in what seems like a lifetime ago, Malta was the original setting for Kings Landing.  Malta is a destination where a story can be found on every street, where every building has a tale to tell you, with grand palaces, water front eateries and beaches you will never want to leave.

Take a trip to Mdina City Gate where you will immediately be transported into the heart of Westeros.  Walk through these streets and replay some of the dramatic scenes filmed her as they come to life within the medieval grandeur that Malta has to offer.

Some of the cruise lines that feature Malta are:

Royal Caribbean, P&O, Fred Olsen, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Cunard, MSC, Thomson

Northern Ireland

When you think of a film destination, you quite often think of exotic destinations, that would normally take a lot of travelling to visit.  As the famous stark saying goes ‘winter is coming’ and with the Irish climate offering an average of 300 days of cloud a year, Northern Ireland was the perfect choice for the series producers to film a lot of the scenes from the North.

If you would like to go in search of Winterfell, then look no further than County Down and visit Castle Ward.  This 16^th Century castle has been used for many a scene as the backdrop to Winterfell and the courtyards (until Theon Grayjoy).  Why not dress up as your favourite character from the series and shoot some arrows on the replica if the Winterfell Archery Range and relive scenes with Jon Snow and the Stark children.

Why not follow the three eyed raven into the woods and take a trip to one of the most photographed places in all of Ireland?  Pictured above, this dark and dramatic terrain was used as the Kings Road for many characters on their way to and from kings landing.  And it’s easy to see why.

These are just some of the main attractions that Ireland has to offer any Game of Thrones fan, with many more for you to discover on your next cruise.

Some of the cruise lines that feature Northern Ireland are:

P&O, Cunard, Fred Olsen, Princess Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Cruise and Maritime

Croatia

Dubrovnik in its own right is one of the highlights on any cruise and you don’t have to look far to see exactly why.  Its towering ancient city walls greet you on entry before you are welcomed its’ narrow streets full of life and vibrancy.  It’s not hard to imagine this city as the Lannister stronghold and it was for this reason that from season 2 onwards, this has been the home of Kings Landing and other loactions, having played out some of the most famous and dramatic scenes in the series.

Take a trip to the Minceta Tower where the exterior of the House of the Undying can be explored or visit the Lovrijenac which has been used as The Red Keep.

For those looking to follow in the steps of the Khaleesi herself, the only place to visit is the island of Lokrum, where many of the scenes from the city of Qarth were set.  As you walk round the old monastery it’s hard not to imagine dragons flying overhead as you search down Daenerys and her unsullied.

Some of the cruise lines that feature Croatia are:

P&O, Fred Olsen, Princess Cruises, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Thomson, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises

As I mentioned at the start, Game of Thrones has to be one of my favourite all time programmes, and some of the places showcased are some of the places I long to visit, and what better way to see some of these than with a cruise?  This is just a small sample from the Seven Kingdoms that can be visited by a cruise.

Have you visited any of these destinations as part of a cruise?  What did you think? And if not, which ones will you be visiting next?

Get in touch, and share your love of Game of Thrones with me.