Though voyage is usually used literally to mean a long and exciting journey or a trip that involves sailing such as a cruise, it can be used figuratively as well.

While "voyage" can be used as a synonym for "trip," the two words carry very different connotations and scales in English. A "trip" is a general, everyday term that can refer to anything from a short weekend getaway to a run to the grocery store. In contrast, a voyage implies a long, grand, or adventurous journey, traditionally over water or through space. For example, you would take a "trip" to Paris, but the Titanic went on its "maiden voyage." In French, "voyage" is the standard word for "trip" (hence the phrase "Bon Voyage!"), but in English, using the word "voyage" adds a sense of drama, distance, and historical weight to the travel experience. It is often used figuratively to describe a deep personal transition, such as a "voyage of self-discovery." If you are booking a standard vacation, "trip" is the most natural word to use; if you are embarking on a three-month expedition across the Pacific or a journey to Mars, "voyage" becomes the far more appropriate and evocative choice to describe the scale of the endeavor.