The growth of cruise tourism worldwide presents cruise destinations with many challenges, including the need for substantial investment in cruise infrastructure. This paper reviews the role and manifestations of power among a wide range of cruise destination stakeholders and the cruise lines with respect to the commercial and political negotiations that arise in relation to this investment. The framework for this review considers (a) type of port (e.g. home/turnaround port or port-of-call); (b) the stakeholders who have an interest in cruise destinations or are impacted by the activities related to them; (c) the cruise destination's stage of development (i.e. proposed, mature or declining); (d) port characteristics and (e) a determination of whether it is the cruise line or the cruise destination who initiates the proposal for cruise infrastructure development. This review makes evident that power is a complex factor, which can be exercised or received, by any of the stakeholders and that power is influenced by a variety of factors and interests.