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In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Nautica Voyage review after owning multiple bottles since 2009. I have tested this cologne as an all-around wear, on dates, and at the gym.
Unlike the “sponsored” reviews out there, I bought the Nautica Voyage with my own money, paid full retail and have tested it since 2009.
I’ll be sharing my objective scoring system with an overall score at the end.
Before we dive in, every photo you see here comes from the actual bottles we purchase and test ourselves.
Unlike sites that rely on AI-generated images or copy-and-paste reviews, we wear these colognes in real life and share the results with you no sponsorships, no freebies, zero bias.
Nautica Voyage Pros & Cons
- Price
- Fresh Aquatic Smell
- Longer lasting than other fragrances in price range
- Use year-round
- Can smell alcohol in it
- Needs more sprays than usual
Nautica Voyage Price
At the time of this writing the price for the Nautica Voyage is $15, a great budget price on Amazon.com
Order Here for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Nautica Voyage Notes
The top notes of Nautica Voyage include green apple and green leaf. The green apple is quite noticeable at first, it’s very snappy and fresh.
The note of the green leaf is very subtle and indistinguishable from the green apple. Most men’s colognes that have green leaves in the notes tend to smell like a leaf crushed up in your hand. However, the alcohol base of the middle notes take over before you smell much of the green leaf.
Middle notes include lotus and mimosa. The scent of lotus smells like an open-air lounge in the summer. This is what gives that “watery” scent to the cologne. Now, there is a contrast of mimosa which is more of a “cold weather” scent.
The Mimosa gives the scent a snappy effect that I wasn’t expecting at first. This is what really adds depth to this cologne without being overly “summer”.
Base notes include musk,cedar,oakmoss and amber. The only two I was really able to distinguish were cedar and oakmoss.
The Oakmoss really gives the scent that “grounded” earthy feel without being overbearing. The cedar seems to sit around the most out of all the notes.
What Does Nautica Voyage Smell Like?
Nautica Voyage really smells like chilling on a beach with a cool crisp wind.
The scent is very aquatic, but has a very chilling feature to it, such as the mimosa I had mentioned earlier. The scent comes out as very versatile being Ice and Fire when we consider the months to use it in.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Scent Profile
Nautica Voyage opens with a crisp burst of green apple and fresh green leaf, giving it an immediate clean and refreshing energy. The first burst of notes is quite strong and has a very strong alcohol base to it, which some can find annoying.
As the fragrance begins to settle, there are the notes of lotus which we had mentioned are very snappy giving it that cold and warm effect. This happens quite early on as this fragrance does not last a long time.
The oakmoss adds that masculine edge if you were thinking this is too much of a “flowery” scent without enough manly punch to it. Overall, the scent is very versatile without being too overpowering when it comes to the “aquatic” aspect.
Longevity
As you know, this is a budget cologne. I really felt the scent only lasted at most 3 hours for me. I felt most of the top notes were gone within the first ten minutes. The aquatic middle notes actually seem to last longer than the base notes.
It’s not a powerhouse by any means, but for daily casual use, work, gym, or running errands it holds up better than many fragrances in this price range.
I also recommend using Nautica Voyage on your skin than your clothes, because spraying onto your clothes really blunts this cologne.
Projection & Sillage
You really don’t have to worry about this cologne reaching too far.
The top notes are within smelling distance of at least 6 feet. The cologne itself is never going to have a room-filling fragrance.
Sillage (the scent trail left behind) is very light. Making it a safe choice for vacation, work, or the gym where you don’t want to overwhelm anyone.
It won’t announce you from across the room, but those nearby will catch clean, fresh whiffs for the first few hours.
Versatility
Nautica Voyage can basically be worn anywhere. The clean aquatic scent makes it easy to wear to class, the gym, office, and even at home.
It definitely leans to being more casual than formal, but the crisp green apple and lotus give it a universal appeal.
It shines best in spring and summer, where the airy, watery freshness feels right at home. However, that snappy scent I mentioned before also makes it an ideal cologne to wear in warmer weather as well. I find myself wearing Nautica Voyage year round.
Value
Now when it comes to ONLY $15 for a bottle of this stuff, that’s HARD to beat.
Considering its clean and fresh scent, and respectful performance it definitely delivers.
Longevity is a concern, as well as strength. I found myself using 3-4 sprays rather than 1-2. However, considering the price it doesn’t smell “cheap” like those other colognes in its class.
For anyone looking for a signature fresh scent on a budget, Nautica Voyage is a great choice for a budget cologne.
Compliment Factor
Now this is a good budget cologne, however it’s not going to wow anybody straight out the door. People have to be pretty darn close to you to even smell this one.
While it’s not a bold, statement-making fragrance that will turn heads across the room. I did receive a few compliments over the past few years with Nautica Voyage.
Is Nautica Voyage Worth It?
Now when it comes to ONLY $15 for a bottle of this stuff, that’s HARD to beat.
Considering its clean and fresh scent, and respectful performance it definitely delivers.
Longevity is a concern, as well as strength. I found myself using 3-4 sprays rather than 1-2. However, considering the price it doesn’t smell “cheap” like those other colognes in its class.
For anyone looking for a signature fresh scent on a budget, Nautica Voyage is a great choice for a budget cologne.
For those looking for a more robust and longer-lasting cologne check out the Mont Blanc Explorer, or Dior Sauvage.
Value: 8/10
Scoring Breakdown
- Scent Profile (20%): 7/10
- Longevity (20%): 6.5/10
- Projection & Sillage (20%): 5.5/10
- Versatility (15%): 8/10
- Compliment Factor (10%): 6/10
- Value (15%): 8/10
Total Weighted Score:1.40 + 1.30 + 1.10 + 1.20 + 0.60 + 1.20 = 6.80 / 10
Our Rating:
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does Nautica Voyage Last?
3-4 sprays of Nautica Voyage typically lasts me 4-5 hours at most. Again, this is a budget cologne it does not last as long as the other premium brands
Is the Nautica Voyage used for winter or summer?
Mainly Nautica Voyage is a summer cologne, however because of the base notes you can also use it sparingly in the winter.
What is the best smelling Nautica cologne?
Hands down the best smelling Nautica Cologne is Voyage, a great “fresh” scent at a budget price.
Is Nautica Voyage Manly?
Yes! The “woody” scent is what offsets the “non-manly” flowery scent of this cologne.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
I personally have tested the Nautica Voyage cologne since 2009, with the sole intent of giving you the most unbiased review possible. Men’s Review Lab is a 100% independent publisher with years of testing and reviewing Men’s cologne and designs.
Over the past 17+ years I tried hundreds of different colognes, from the workplace to the gym.
This deep experience allowed me to create an OBJECTIVE scoring system for all Men’s cologne for the most unbiased scores possible.
All of our photos are taken from the actual products we purchase and test ourselves. Unlike many review sites that rely on AI generated photos, we buy the bottles, wear them, and evaluate them over time. No brand sponsorships, no free bottles, no outside influence just real testing and transparent results.
We currently pay for the products we test ourselves; no company or manufacturer pays us to sway our opinions or decisions.
