The track's lyrical content comprises a dance instructional and portrays a scenario of retaining confidence, and rebound dating after a break-up, and contain themes of girl power and self empowerment.

The song garnered positive reviews from music critics who commended its club appeal and Tinashe's vocals, while also naming it as a highlight on the album.

[6] A remix version of "All Hands on Deck" was premiered by Perez Hilton on February 22, 2015, featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea rapping the song's new verse.

[12] "All Hands on Deck" is an up-tempo crunk&B and club track which contains elements of snap, West Coast hip hop,[13] grime[14] and late 1990s-early 2000s R&B.

[19][20] Noted to be a shift from the more sweet and coy-sounding tracks on Aquarius,[21] Tinashe solicits a snarling technique in her vocal delivery,[19] together with a more upbeat attitude and in contrast with Azalea's braggadocio.

[14] Described as the "sister song" to Aquarius lead single "2 On",[23] "All Hands on Deck" also garnered comparisons to Cassie's "Long Way 2 Go" (2006),[20] Ying Yang Twins' "Whistle While You Twurk" (2000),[16] and the works of DJ Mustard.

[16] While Azalea's verse describes the scenario where a new lover finds interest in her style and prowess, "Every night, a different city, different time zone / All I wanna do is get my shine in / Far as fashion and this rappin', I'm who run it now / Walk-throughs cost a hundred thou/ Yo, I'm Iggy, ow".

writer Jabbari Weekes said that while the song's title depicts a "buzzword for a sea foraging adventure," its "water-inspired" motif added cohesiveness and helped entice listeners on the album.

[29] Bradley Stern of MuuMuse wrote that the track provided a "truly nasty, finger-snapping alarm call for the dancefloor," and commended its "powerhouse" chorus, and flute instrumentation.

[25] Music Times writer Ryan Middleton viewed it as one of the "vastly underrated" tracks on the album and opined that Azalea's verse should assist it in receiving "the shine it deserved in the first place".

[33] Similarly, Maurice Bobb of MTV News called Azalea's verse "catchy," and said that the single had "the sonic fuel to really set the charts on fire" and match the success of "2 On".

[17] Fuse's Jeff Benjamin wrote that Azalea's braggadocio meshed well with Tinashe's empowering lyrics on "All Hands on Deck," and concluded that the track became one of 2015's "first awesome girl-power anthems" and was "in prime position to become a hit".

[35] While Reed Jackson of XXL called the track "flimsy" and felt Tinashe's vocal was buried "underneath a stew of seemingly every sound DJ Mustard has introduced to the hip-hop world to over the past two years".

In a review of the tour's stop at Rams Head Live!, Rated R&B's Keithan Samuels said the singer "lit up the stage with her electrifying dance moves" during her rendition of the song.