Wish you were here? Holiday firms slash the price of trips

Travel firms have slashed their prices for holidays to the hurricane-hit Caribbean with a party of six adults potentially saving themselves £3,000 for a week’s trip.

Holiday packages to the region were still available to purchase through certain websites with some trips being described as a ‘great deal’.

It comes as Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to a tropical storm today while it headed north through Florida.

However, winds of up to 185mph have already devastated entire Caribbean islands, including parts of Cuba, and killed at least 24 people. 

The holiday firm was offering a seven-night stay at the Paradisus Princesa Del Mar in Cuba from September 28 for £982 per person and advertised it as being a ‘great deal’ 

Another 'great deal' on the site was a seven-night trip to the Dominican Republic - which was also affected by the storm 

Another ‘great deal’ on the site was a seven-night trip to the Dominican Republic – which was also affected by the storm 

Tourists were seen lying on the beach after the hurricane passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba, on Sunday 

Tourists were seen lying on the beach after the hurricane passed the resort area in Varadero, Cuba, on Sunday 

Holidaymakers were stranded at a hotel in Cuba and were unsure about how they were going to get off the island 

Holidaymakers were stranded at a hotel in Cuba and were unsure about how they were going to get off the island 

On Monday, hundreds of British tourists were still stranded and unable to leave the islands as flights have been cancelled.

But Thomson are still offering packaged holidays to islands such as the Dominican Republic from Wednesday.

A one-week holiday at the five-star Riu Republica hotel in Bavaro, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, is available to purchase for £695 per person – a £485 saving from the original price of £1,180. 

The hotel – just yards from the beach – has five pools, five restaurants and an onsite nightclub.  

On its site, Thomson said: ‘As the hurricane has now moved away from the Dominican Republic, customers arriving at the destination will continue their holidays as planned with the support of our resort teams.’

Flights to and from Cuba have been cancelled but the travel firm is giving people the chance to visit the island from September 28.

A party of six adults can stay at the Paradisus Princesa del Mar for £5,892 – a discount of £2,844.  

Each person will be saving £474 when they book to stay at the adult-only hotel which has three ‘huge’ pools.  

Other hotels in Cuba (pictured) were added to the site's Summer 2017 deals page and offered people huge discounts 

Other hotels in Cuba (pictured) were added to the site’s Summer 2017 deals page and offered people huge discounts 

A hotel in Cuba was damaged following the huge storm which affected huge parts of the Caribbean 

A hotel in Cuba was damaged following the huge storm which affected huge parts of the Caribbean 

Tourists tried to enjoy a beach day after Hurricane Irma swept through Varadero, Cuba, on September 10

Tourists tried to enjoy a beach day after Hurricane Irma swept through Varadero, Cuba, on September 10

The city of Havana, Cuba, was flooded following the chaos caused by the huge storm last week

The city of Havana, Cuba, was flooded following the chaos caused by the huge storm last week

Thomas Cook is also offering deals on its website. 

A seven-day stay at the Melia Cayo Coco hotel from September 24 which was £1,152 per person is available to buy for £832 on Thomas Cook’s website.

Meanwhile, other deals include a reduction from £1,122 per person to £858 at the Now Garden Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic from September 25.

‎Małgorzata Marcinkowska spotted the deals online and wrote‎ to Thomas Cook UK online. 

She said: ‘Hallo (sic), I checked and I can still book holidays to Cuba with Thomas Cook website with the departure planned for next week, eg 16 September 2017. 

‘What is Thomas Cook position on selling holidays in Cuba hen nobody really knows what is the scale of the damage to the North coast of the island?’

The firm replied: ‘Hi Małgorzata, we’re still in the process of assessing damage, however we do know that some areas of Cuba are back and operational and our customers can still enjoy a holiday there.’ 

Thomas Cook told MailOnline: ‘We have not altered the price of our holidays in response to the hurricane.

‘This is a web issue. We are offering free cancellation and amendments to some areas of the Caribbean up to September 30.’  

MailOnline has contacted Thomson for comment.

Thomas Cook is also offering deals on holiday packages to the Dominican Republic after the storm 

Thomas Cook is also offering deals on holiday packages to the Dominican Republic after the storm 

The site was was offering flights and accommodation at the Melia Cayo Coco hotel in Cuba 

The site was was offering flights and accommodation at the Melia Cayo Coco hotel in Cuba 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk