First class travel

Let's close with two quick hits.

On our Shrash award travel, someone found Finnair First Class from New York to Helsinki for 43,500 points, plus about 100 bucks in taxes for next July.

That's a legit sweet spot if you can find the space.

And View from the Wing flagged a clever Japan Airlines move.

The France was a true ocean liner versus a hybrid liner and cruise ship like the QE2 or today's Queen Mary 2.

She carried up to 617 passengers in first class and 1,637 in tourist class with some interchangeable cabins and was open class during her occasional cruises.

Although her cruising potential was rather limited by her lack of sunning decks, her two-class layout, and her deep 35-foot draft.

Like all of the great Atlantic liners, she had glass-enclosed promenades for each class and there were two pools, a semi-enclosed one on her stern for tourist class and an elegant interior first-class pool way down in the heart of the ship.

She had a double-deck theater with the upper level reserved for first class and a chapel that was used by both classes.

First Class had its own playroom, and the First Class Grand Salon was starkly chic and modern versus the old world opulence of the ships she replaced.

Among its highlights was a vivid tapestry called Under Woods by Caroline Hilaire.

First Class had the intimate La Cave Bar, which was adjoined by the music-themed Salon Debussy on the starboard side.