Maritime Journey (Tommy Bahama)

The original Maritime from 2016 is Tommy Bahama’s answer to Abercrombie’s Fierce, while Journey (2019) serves as their take on Polo Ultra Blue. In fact, I suspect it may be an unused mod for the Ralph Lauren scent that Tommy Bahama repurposed to meet their brief. Had it been crafted on a Ralph Lauren budget, it might have achieved a closer likeness, but Tommy Bahama has always occupied the lower shelf in the fragrance aisle. As a result, Maritime Journey comes across as a bit rough around the edges, scratchier and cheaper (it makes me sneeze), yet serviceable at just ten dollars an ounce.

Unlike Ultra Blue, Maritime Journey features a prominent green apple note and lacks the herbal undertone. Otherwise, it’s a fruitier spin on the familiar sea salt and woods accord that has dominated aquatics since the early 1990s. Here, the Calone molecule is restrained, adding a faint blush of peachy warmth to a grey-blue profile. While it teeters close to the realm of shower gel freshness, it maintains just enough balance between sweetness and saltiness to feel adequately refined. It’s light, non-offensive, and versatile, a competent choice for men seeking value in their cologne. However, with so many similar options already on the market, Ultra Blue remains the superior pick for but a few more dollars. Maritime Journey’s only standout feature is its pronounced saltiness, which borders on excessive, even for an aquatic enthusiast like me, but otherwise, it’s not worth going out of your way for a bottle.

Interestingly, this stuff also evokes shades of the original Cool Water (1988). Its sharp Granny Smith apple note has the same tart, low-pH quality, and when paired with sea spray and faint floral-cedar nuances, it carries a hint of that late-80s vibe. The synthetic saltiness nudges it into the 21st century, but you’d be better off spending your $23 on Cool Water. For a softer, less saline alternative, Nautica Voyage would suffice. Fragrances like this are akin to grey-blue paint chips on a Benjamin Moore sample page: pleasant enough, but somewhat boring and ultimately forgettable.

Set Sail St. Barts for Men (Tommy Bahama)

One of the recurring challenges with department store fragrances over the past decade is their tendency to resemble expensive deodorants. Given that many are also marketed in deodorant form, this similarity isn’t particularly shocking. Bleu de Chanel strikes me this way, with its ashen woods veiled in a powdery haze that is neither distinctly pleasant nor unpleasant. A similar trait pervades several contemporary Chanel fragrances. When I tested this lively tropical cologne by Tommy Bahama, I encountered the same intentionally inoffensive, deodorant-like quality.

The difference, however, is that Set Sail manages to evoke something genuinely fun and laid-back—an increasingly rare quality these days. It’s a delightful blend of salty lime, lemon, margarita mix, guava, vanilla, and musk. The citrus notes, though fleeting, feel reasonably natural, and the saltiness remains pronounced throughout most of the fragrance's wear. Guava is an intriguing note, with a spectrum that ranges from dry and papery to sweet, musky, and slightly creamy. In Set Sail, it’s the latter—a cool, creamy guava that adds a refreshing dimension to the composition.

Released in 2007, this fragrance initially escaped my notice as I was working in Eastern Europe that year, where American fashion brands tend to arrive at a more leisurely pace. I only discovered Set Sail upon returning home, likely drawn by its notable success. My appreciation for it is as much about aesthetics as it is about scent—I truly love the bottle. It’s a substantial, oblong piece of glass in a striking Mediterranean shade of Brandeis Blue. The atomizer is faux gold-plated metal, nestled under a matching plastic cap adorned with a small length of docking rope. It’s arguably the finest bottle in my collection, rivaled only by YSL’s Jazz.

From a design perspective, both the fragrance and its bottle demonstrate excellent thematic cohesion. The scent feels tropical, fresh, and undeniably "blue," while the bottle itself resembles a fusion of Venetian blown glass and a polished gemstone. Although Set Sail is a cologne concentration, it delivers a respectable four to five hours of longevity before settling into a skin scent. Remarkably, it’s also incredibly affordable at discounters. If you’re seeking a summer fragrance with charm and character, this is a standout option worth exploring.