Today we traversed the equator again passing back into the northern hemisphere. It felt like we were in equatorial climes as well: blisteringly hot, little wind, hardly a ripple on the sea. As per usual, just endless empty sea in all directions. Not a ship in sight all day.

We sunbathed all morning, reading our books and swimming as has become our habit these last few hot days. We are both brown as berries but still having to be careful. It would be easy to burn as the sun is so strong. I am using Clinique City Block on my face. It's brilliant because it's factor 50 but it is light and has a bit of foundation colour in it so you don't look like a ghost or an accident victim.

Lunch and then art. Back to portraiture today and a study of a Polynesian lady with a massive head-dress of shells and feathers. We did it in pencil first and then had to decide whether to add colour. I was really really pleased with mine and I decided to hedge my bets and leave it as a pencil study. Bob was braver and added the watercolour. They both look really good, a couple of our nicest. Still deliberating whether to be brave and add the colour but I shall be mad at myself if I then ruin it.

We had the usual Crossing the Line ceremony where the ship's company ask permission of King Neptune to pass and an ensuing water battle takes place with much falling in the pool etc. All good fun. Visited the library and picked out a couple of books just in case I run out before we get to Honolulu. I was hoping to get a guidebook for Hawaii but no luck. I should have brought one from home but we were going to be diving. Still umming and awing about that. I hadn't booked any in advance although had a quote which was £200 for both of us for 2 dives i.e. 4 dives in total. This seems very expensive so hence I didn't book it. We may look for a place on arrival. The other confusion factor is that we have to clear US Customs and Immigration in Honolulu and this often takes hours to complete for the whole ship. Everyone has to be cleared - crew and all - before anyone can go ashore. So, not really sure what time we will manage to get off. Ah well, time will tell.

Put a few more pictures up on the cabin walls tonight. It is making our den a much brighter place. Hope the blu-tak comes off at the end.

Captain's black tie cocktail party tonight for the 750ish of us aboard for the whole voyage. We get one per sector, so five in all. There are also welcome aboard cocktail parties and also Peninsular Club parties - that's the P&O Loyalty club. So, quite a few parties , plus two slap up lunches and a coffee morning. Basically, in the cocktail party you get about 40 minutes in the main lounge with drinks and canapes, music, all the officers in all departments (well not all, someone must still be working) and of course always the Captain and Senior Officers. There are two tonight: one for each dinner sittng with Freedom Diners like us able to choose the one that suits us. So possibly about 370 people in each. It's nice but a real bun fight with a frankly shameless determination from most people to sink as many free P&O drinks in that time as is humanly possible and to get away with a glass at the end to take into dinner!!!! Its good fun for us passengers but I always feel sorry for the officers who must rather dread it and wish they were elsewhere.

We got talking to one of the young officer cadets. He was from Southampton, sponsored by P&O at college and this is his placement contract before he goes back to college for his final year and then starts work with P&O. A really nice lad and at the start of an exciting career.

Dinner was a lively affair with a table of 3 couples from Ireland. They'd all enjoyed the Captain's party very much….. Very strong accents. By the end of dinner I was really tired and we turned in rather than go to the late show, which was - to be sure to be sure - an Irish comedian.