Dolomite is common in carbonate successions. There is an ongoing debate about the origin of ancient massive dolostones. Recent studies suggest widespread syndepositional and early-burial dolomitisation by normal and near-normal seawater, in the rock record, than previously recognised. Seawater dolomitisation is ubiquitous in Cenozoic islands but Cretaceous counterparts are rare, except for Resolution and Allison guyots, Mid-Pacific Mountains. We explored their dolomitisation conditions and the implications on our understanding of Cretaceous normal seawater syndepositional and near-surface dolomitisation. Integrating geochemical and borehole data reveals temporal overlap between 87Sr/86Sr ages of dolomites, and K/Ar and 40Ar/39Ar ages of the basement. Dolomites near basaltic basement exhibit 42-times Fe-enrichment compared to normal seawater dolomites. Host-rock thermal modelling suggested that δ18Odol temperatures are ∼18–29 °C higher than concurrent temperatures. Seismic interpretation and seismic facies forward modelling demonstrate a spatial overlap between dolomites and magmatic sills in both guyots. Accordingly, magmatically driven hydrothermal dolomitisation is proposed, which promoted dolomitisation by providing high heat flow, increasing seawater circulation, and overcoming limited dolomitisation potential of Cretaceous seawater. The H2O–CO2–SO2–HCl-rich magmatic-hydrothermal acidic fluids would mix with seawater causing slight modification by leaching Mg and Fe from basaltic basement. Consequently, magmatically active Cretaceous islands had greater potential for seawater dolomitisation than counterparts with ceased magmatism, due to increased heat flux and slight increase in Mg:Ca of dolomitising fluids. Our findings imply that deep-seated island dolostones don't only form by deep cold seawater below calcite saturation depth. Instead, magmatism appears crucial in this study and potentially other locations (e.g. Xisha Islands). The absence of dolostones in other Cretaceous islands supports previous models of reduced effectiveness of massive dolomitisation by Cretaceous normal seawater, questioning interpretations of syndepositional and near-surface dolomitisation. Thus, caution is advised when interpreting these dolomites by considering additional factors (dolomite geometry, geological settings, and dolomitisation age), as they may share characteristics with syndepositional and near-surface normal seawater dolomites. •Magmatically driven hydrothermal dolomitisation is suggested for the Cretaceous atolls in the Mid-Pacific Mountains.•Magmatically active Cretaceous islands had greater potentiality for seawater dolomitisation than the inactive counterparts.•The model gives an alternative explanation to deep-seated island dolostones in this study and potentially other locations.•The Cretaceous normal seawater dolomitisation appears of reduced effectiveness, supporting previous reactive transport modelling and field studies.•Caution is advised in interpreting these dolomites as they may share characteristics with syndepositional and near-surface early-burial normal marine dolomites.