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6 Fragrances that Smell Similar to Nautica Voyage

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Nautica Voyage may already be the all-time cheapie best seller. Though, there could be some older scents that are still flying off the shelves, this scent has been the front runner for more than a decade now. People really seem drawn to Voyage.

Yet, you can grow tired of a cologne and might want to try something different, but close enough to the Nautica. In this post, I want to present alternative colognes which fit the bill as being similar to or near matches (if possible) of Voyage.

What Colognes Smell Comparable to Nautica Voyage?

Original Inspiration

Ocean Mist Men by Dua– Dua is a brand that not only has its own unique fragrances they create, they also create their own inspired takes on designer scents. Ocean Mist Men, is there take on the original Voyage formulation.

Now, this is going to be somewhat more expensive than the modern Nautica Voyage sold in stores. However, it is also an extrait de parfum concentration (higher percentage of fragrance oils), which will lead to a more potent perfume.

Clean, aquatic, with that apple and mimosa combination really coming through. Worth a try, if you want a potentially higher quality version of the Voyage note structure.

Spicier Blue Mix

Polo Blue Gold Blend– The Polo Blue line is mostly only tangentially related to our targeted cologne, but Gold Blend does show some noticeable similarities to Voyage.

Still very much a version of Polo Blue, but with nods to Voyage, and a greater use of herbal spice and ambroxan than either.  The opening of this features that crisp melon note with a nice use of citrus and the spice blend.

Sage and incense play a big role here, so expect some smoky spiciness in this mix. Nautica Voyage isn’t an exact overlap here, but the DNA is closely related, particularly the use of apple. Gold Blend Review

gold blend review

Great Newer Flanker

Nautica Midnight Voyage– Voyage was such a monster hit for Nautica, that they keep reusing the name to release flanker fragrances. Most of them aren’t that great, but Midnight Voyage actually brings the same value with the familiar yet distinct aroma.

Amber, mint, and pink peppercorn blend with seemingly a bit of the original Voyage DNA. It has that amber/ambroxan sort of aroma, like found in the popular Dior Sauvage. It’s not the same, but you get that kind of vibe.

Midnight Voyage is a bit spicy, but in a fresh and cooling way, while retaining its nautical and summery mystique. I’m almost positive that there’s an unlisted citrus accord in here. This has gone to the discounter’s recently and is a nice pickup if you liked the original.

High End Cold Gin

Roses on Ice by Kilian– Roses on Ice is a part of Kilian’s Liquors collection. I got a sample of this stuff a month or so ago and it does have a similar structure to Voyage. Which is surprising, as this costs about 10x as much. So, I don’t expect many to go for this option.

Basically it’s ice cold gin, cucumber, and a pinkish rose with a greenish aroma. It has the same ozonic/aquatic feeling as our target with the cucumber playing the role of apple. That floral heart and a musky/woody base.

Are they exactly the same? No, Roses on Ice isn’t trying to be, it just has that similar style and approximates what it’s like to wear Voyage. But, at around $200, I don’t find it to be worthwhile.

Crisp Fruits, Less Florals

Kenneth Cole Reaction Connected Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 4.2 Ounce– Reaction Connected is another close cousin of Voyage. It has a crisp juicy melon opening act, with the aquatic sea notes also playing a role.

However, as it dries down, you still get the fruits but also plenty of violet leaf and wood. The middle is more herbal and the end is more earthy/woody. Connected has a really nice sweet and juicy fruit profile, but with more depth than other similar fragrances, on the market.

Reaction Connected is a lot like Nautica Voyage, but with less of the green-ish smell, and the floral notes. Melon with a ‘blue’ impression and some earthier qualities in the dry down. Kind of splitting the difference between Voyage and Polo Blue.

Drier but Fresh

Tommy Bahama Maritime Journey for Him, 4.2 Fl Oz–  Maritime Journey has a similar style to Nautica Voyage, but is closer in smell to Eternity Air. To me, it is definitely better than that Calvin Klein cologne.

There was an older cologne that was more like Voyage, but Tommy Bahama no longer produces it. But, this is a good replacement.

It opens up fresher than the Nautica. Coriander and the same kind of apple note. This goes along with lavender and violet. It will eventually dry down into a greener fragrance with a base of moss, cardamom, and cedar.

Martime Journey is a drier aromatic when compared to Voyage. It still has the floral notes and that apple sweetness. Not totally akin to the other, but if you liked Voyage, you will probably enjoy this. Maritime Journey Review

Voyage by Nautica

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There are some fragrances that are standouts and very popular no matter the price point. The inexpensive scents of the bunch can go on to be best sellers and be well regarded by those around a man while he wears these colognes.

One such scent, is an offering by Nautica called Voyage. This was released in 2006. In this review I want to take a closer look at the fragrance and see if Voyage is really all its cracked up to be.

As usual, I will asses what’s the ingredients, how they smell, how it performs, when it should be worn and whether or not it is actually worth a purchase.

What Does Nautica Voyage Smell Like?

Also see: Nautica Voyage N-83 Cologne Review and Voyage vs N-83 Cologne Comparison

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Notes include: apple, musk, cedar, lotus, amber, mimosa, and oak moss

Click here to try: Nautica Voyage on Amazon

My Full Nautica Voyage Review

The first thing that I notice about Voyage is how it gives off that vibe of late spring and summertime. It is an aquatic cologne. But one that has a different type of summery feel to it than the much more expensive, Creed Imperial or something of similar price range like Set Sail St. Barts.

It is less oceanic than other scents from Nautica or even those two colognes that I just mentioned, it is softer and has more of a woodsy influence to it. The other colognes tend to have, notes of sea water or salt, to give it that purely oceanic feel.

The amber lurks in the background to lend a layer of warmth. With Voyage, it is more like a crisp watery aroma, than a oceanic one.

Here’s how Nautica describes this scent:

For a man setting sail on his own heroic journey, capturing his adventurous spirit as he navigates his endeavors with precision and passion. 

It opens with an apple note, watery notes, mimosa, and some prominent musk. Voyage has that cold watery scent, that you typically associate with cucumber or dew. It’s a light non-oceanic aquatic aroma.

Underneath all of that, the scent has a green/floral undertone with wet moss (the dew smell) plus lotus/mimosa.

I like the apple note here, it isn’t like a candied apple aroma, that you get from a lot of other fragrances. Instead, it is much more naturalistic, and light.

Sometimes, the opening bit of time wearing this gets on my nerves, as I don’t really care for the lotus and mimosa influence upfront. However, Voyage definitely settles down into something more pleasant and summery. Just those floral notes, with the musk, can have to ‘green’ of a smell.

As the composition moves along, I pick up more of the cedar and oakmoss, to go along with that apple. It still retains that dew-iness, but the musk is less pronounced, and Voyage becomes cleaner and smoother.

The base gives it a drier profile, with an outdoorsy freshness, feeling less aquatic towards the end of the wear.

It is also during this time, that there does emerge a slight saltiness. To my nose, its really not that much at all, and there are plenty of other colognes that have a really salty profile. It’s just a pinch underneath the green. It is the amber note, doings its job, it just isn’t a very strong aspect of this composition.

However, where it does seem to line up with these other summertime aquatics is its use of a fruit note, in this case apple. The apple gives it a light and crisp fragrance that can only be described a refreshing.

Keep in mind, this isn’t a sexy night life scent, Nautica Voyage is a daytime wear all the way. It has a youthful sensibility and subtle charm to it that makes people come back for more. It’s actually pretty straightforward and linear, once you get about an hour into the wear.

Voyage Sillage and How Long Does it Last?

Projection wise, it’s pretty good. This isn’t a heavy cologne, nor should it be. However, this isn’t one which projects like a beast, so keep that in mind. It’s a moderate and fresh cologne that is bright and shines in the warm weather.

When I first apply it, it is fairly noticeable from 5 to 7 feet (I’ve tested this out on clothing and it is about the same), it then dries down to hang much closer to the skin.

Longevity wise I’d say it’s moderate, depending on the day or the person’s skin chemistry, it can vary in length of time…7 hours is what I find the max to be for my skin.

Some folks, seem to get better wear, but honestly 7 hours is pretty good for most purposes. Other times, it will be closer to five hours. It will just depend on the climate and your personal skin chemistry.

When Should It Be Worn?

Seasonally, I’d wear this in spring and summer. It holds up fine in the colder months, it just seems out of place. Even if I’ll wear Voyage when it’s hot out, I never really apply it in the winter, as there are so many better choices built for the cold.

This is a daytime casual cologne to be worn at school or work. Again, not a nightlife scent by any stretch, but a very good and affordable option for daily use.

This is an inexpensive option, so, it isn’t some crazy formal scent by any means. However, it doesn’t strike me as just being for teenagers, and can work well for older guys who just want a cheap casual scent.

Does Voyage Smell Good Overall?

Overall, is Voyage worth a purchase? Yes, it is a fantastic and inexpensive choice for men. It is better than many other fragrances which cost multiple times as much, smells great, and performs well during the warmer months of the year.

I would recommend giving it a try. The key here is the price versus what you get for the money.

To me, it’s not the greatest cologne in the world, but it’s just such a good value. It performs well, is pleasant to wear, and isn’t going to choke anyone out of a room.

It really fits a certain vibe and will continue to be a best seller for a long time. I like to throw it on before the gym or when I’m just hanging around, on a summer’s day. That’s when it fits. I’m not always in the mood for it, but I do still enjoy Nautica Voyage, every so often.

Nautica Blue by Nautica

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Here in my latest installment of fragrance reviews, I’m going to take a closer look at Nautica Blue. This scent is in the lower end in terms of price for men’s colognes. It was released in 2005 by Nautica and has been one of the best selling ‘cheapies’ on the market since.

There can be some good deals and great finds at really affordable  prices. Is Blue actually one of them? What are the notes? What does it smell like? How long does it last? Read below for my take. Also see: Nautica Voyage N-83 Review and Nautica Blue vs. Nautica Voyage Comparison

What does Nautica Blue Smell Like?

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Notes include: Musk, cedar, bergamot, sandalwood, peach, pineapple, water lily, jasmine

Click here to try: Nautica Blue Eau De Toilette Spray for Men, 3.4 fluid ounce

My Full Wear Review

Nautica Blue contains fruit notes such as bergamot, peach, and pineapple. However, I wouldn’t classify it as a fruity fragrance at all. It’s more along the lines of an aquatic/woody scent and the fruit notes add a layer of freshness to it.

While they don’t smell the same at all, I am reminded of Polo Sport when I try out Nautica Blue, as they share the cedar, musk, sandalwood, and bergamot notes. It’s that same clean type of marine aroma you would get from Polo Sport but the Polo fragrance is way better, in my opinion.

The opening of Nautica Blue can actually be quite harsh, with the newest formulations on the market, the start of this scent has a sharp detergent-like smell. This really wasn’t as prominent with older bottles or maybe my memory of those is clouded.

Either way, the bergamot and pineapple, are super sharp at the top. Then, the cedar and heavier musk come in and give it that laundry sort of smell.

As it dries down, the sharpness is muted somewhat by the woody notes like the cedar and sandalwood. The musk also falls back and the floral notes become much more prominent for the rest of the wear.

Water lily and jasmine are the flowery ingredients, which go together with the pineapple and citrus bergamot, as the main attractions once this has had time to settle on the skin.

To describe this cologne I would use the words fresh, crisp, clean, soapy, aquatic. It’s a very safe and straightforward fragrance that won’t surprise you with anything unique but it won’t overwhelm you either.

I do find the cologne somewhat attractive, it is pretty basic however, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing for the price you’d pay for a bottle.

I really don’t like the opening, in these newer bottles, it’s way too sharp for my nose but it does quiet down a lot.

In some ways, this is a victim of some re-formulation. It’s been around for decades now, so, it was bound to happen. But, I do think that the quality has slipped, on the newer bottles.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

It’s projection is fairly moderate and definitely seems to have a short half life. So, it’ll go from a moderate opening to a lighter dry down.  Nautica Blue is usually going to last anywhere between 2-5 hours, depending on the circumstances in which you wear it.

Not a great longevity by any means but at this price point, one could afford to respray it as needed. At this roughly $15-25 price range, you’re not going to get too many scents that both smell great and last for a long time, it just what it is.

However, this isn’t terrible in terms of performance.

Seasonally, this works best in the warmer months of the year. It’s a nice refresher on summer days, as it can take the heat, and actually still smell like its supposed to. It holds up for the rest of the year, also, it just is at its best when the weather is hot.

I’d call this a casual fragrance. It’s safe and not overwhelming. Nautica Blue is a solid starter cologne for the younger guys out there. So, high school through college. Or just someone who needs an inexpensive and clean scent to spray on certain days.

That sharply fresh and soapy sort of scent, isn’t one that screams out, ‘romantic wear’ or nightlife fragrance. It’s a basic freshie, that can be had for super cheap.

Overall Impressions of Nautica Blue

Overall, I’d say it’s a decent buy, but nothing that will blow you away. It’s a good way to smell fresh during the warmer months of the year and could be a solid option for a guy on a tight budget.

I prefer Nautica Voyage over this. However, you might prefer Blue between those two. That’s usually not the case, for most people, though.

I think that this is still one of the best smelling Nautica colognes, but rather middling versus other brands in this price range.

That’s not too big of an accomplishment, as the brand has put out a lot of duds over the years. This one is still okay versus the rest of the competition at this price. It was better than it’s current form, at one time.

Fresh, simple, and you know what you’re getting out of it.