I know a lot of CC'ers have done the status match from casino loyalty program to Carnival (or Holland America) and gotten a free cruise offer. I did it with my MGM Rewards Gold and began receiving the "up to FREE Balcony Cabin*" offers, but almost no cruises actually have the free balcony cabins available and they're mostly interior rooms only.
I'd like an upgrade but don't feel like paying almost a full fare on a casino offer to get one. I'd happily bid for one or even pay an upgrade fee, but it feels like the "casino rate" for upgraded cabins (balcony, oceanview, etc.) is only a slight discount over rack rate.
Has anyone ever booked one of the interior cabins and if so, do they send you the normal offers to bid on upgrades (or offer paid upgrades) as they do with regular fully paid fares or are you locked out of those since this is a casino offer? Thanks for any insights or first hand experiences!