David Stubbs of Uncut proclaimed "Philip Bailey shows he's chockful to the falsetto brim with the milk of human soulfulness" on the tune.[3]Geoffrey Himes of The Washington Post found that "on the slower romantic ballads such as When Love Goes Wrong and Cruising, Bailey's impossibly high tenor sounds as if it's in a permanent swoon.".[4]
Omoronke Idowu of Vibe called the song "a silky celestial ballad".[5] Al Rasheed Dauda of Vox stated "Philip Bailey and his unrivalled falsetto blesses the ballads When Love Goes Wrong and Cruisin'.[6]
Steve Jones of USA Today also declared that "the mellow grooves of Cruisin' and When Love Goes Wrong showcase Philip Bailey's still brilliant falsetto".[7]
