The themes and tropes of the sea are evocative and powerful. The sense of distance and adventure, and a horizon to travel over. Winds and currents that push travellers at the whims of nature. Large vehicles called by the names and jargon of ships.

If you want to add instant atmosphere to a campaign, co-opt the flavour of the sea. Have jolly sailors, press gangs, and pirates. Transports that have large open decks where crew can wander around, getting a view, and being targets. Use words like "port" and "starboard" and "marlinspike".

And have some sort of huge, fast carnivores, just waiting for people to fall off those decks.

Transcript

GM: Er, okay. 3PO... um... You walk through the desert for a few hours. Make a Navigation roll.
C-3PO: 5.
GM: You suspect you're lost. Your circuits are heating up in the burning sun.
C-3PO: Oh dear.
GM: Suddenly you see a large vehicle on the horizon, glinting in the sunset.
C-3PO: I'm not getting on Artoo's stupid dreadnought.
GM: No, it's a huge land vehicle of some sort, crawling along the sand.
C-3PO: Hooray! A sandcrawler!
GM: "Sandcrawler"? Really?
C-3PO: Sorry, "sand-whale harpoon barque".
{beat}
GM: Sandcrawler it is.