A lucky kiss for a Carnival Spirit crew member in the traditional equator crossing ceremony en route to Australia. Image: Carnival Cruise Lines

A kiss from a fish marks the crossing of the equator for Carnival Spirit ahead of her arrival in Sydney.

Passengers onboard were privy to the time-honoured equator crossing ceremony as part of their 16-day trans-Pacific voyage.

CarAs part of the ceremony, crewmembers and junior officers who have never crossed the equator before are turned into “shellbacks” or seasoned sailors in a series of rituals including; kissing a dead fish and a soaking in galley-leftovers.

Achieved at 9:46pm on 4 October, the ship’s horn sounded to announce the event with Carnival Spirit cruise director Stuart Dunn presiding over the ceremony as King Neptune.