The good news: the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica have never had more to offer.

If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who book a week in Cuba every winter, here’s what you need to know before you plan this winter.

Cuba is not part of the Canadian winter sun market this season. The major Canadian airlines have pulled their inventory and are no longer offering flights. That is no reflection on the island or its people, whom we think the world of, but instead it comes down to an energy supply crisis. Cuba lost access to its main source of oil, jet fuel stopped being commercially available at the airports, and the situation has not recovered.

We know that’s a lot to take in if Varadero or Cayo Coco has been your February ritual for a decade. So here’s what happened, what it means for the price you’ll pay this winter, and where the genuinely exciting alternatives are right now.

We are not writing Cuba off forever. It’s a wonderful destination, and we look forward to selling it again. For planning purposes this winter, though, it isn’t an option.

The part that affects your wallet

Here’s the piece most travellers haven’t connected yet.

The number of Canadians who want a week of sun in January, February and March hasn’t changed. What’s changed is the number of places they can go.

Cuba was consistently a top-five winter destination for Canadians, with more than 300,000 airline seats scheduled in a single quarter. All of that demand is still in the market. It has simply been redirected into the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica.

Same travellers. Fewer destinations. That’s a supply and demand equation with only one outcome.

This isn’t gouging, and it isn’t operators being opportunistic. Package pricing works in fare buckets. The cheapest seats and rooms on any given departure sell first, and once they’re gone, the next tier opens at a higher price. When more people are chasing the same inventory, those buckets empty faster and earlier. In simpler terms, the seat you would have booked in November for a February departure may cost noticeably more if you wait until December, and the strongest resorts over the March Break window will be gone.

If you’re planning a winter escape, earlier has rarely mattered more than it does this year.

We spoke to our travel agents and got their suggestions on some top alternatives to Cuba:

Dominican Republic:

• Blue Bay Villas Doradas
• Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada
• Marien Puerto Plata
• Sunscape Coco Punta Cana
• VIK Hotel Arena Blanca

Mexico:

• Canto del Sol
• Las Palmas by the Sea
• Viva Maya by Wyndham
• Catalonia Yucatan
• Sandos Caracol
• Krystal Grand Cancun
• Occidental Tucancun
• Crown Paradise Club Cancun

Jamaica:

• Samsara Cliff Hotel
• Legends Beach Resort
• SeaGarden Beach Resort

This is the part we’re actually excited about. Where Cuba’s demand has gone, investments have followed, and the product in these destinations is the strongest it’s been in years.

Punta Cana, D.R., is thriving. Lopesan has added three new properties at its Costa Bavaro complex, including Splash Cove for families and the adults-only Serenity Bay. Hyatt’s Secrets Macao Beach Punta Cana has arrived as the adults-only counterpart to Dreams Macao Beach. Beyond Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Samana and La Romana all have increased Canadian air service and have a quieter, more relaxed vibe.

In Costa Mujeres, about 25 minutes north of the Cancun hotel zone, the new-build boom continues with the adults-only Ocean Allure, which has 599 suites, a lazy river, a wave pool and a rooftop infinity pool. In Puerto Vallarta, our pick for travellers who want authentic Mexico and a real town alongside their resort is The Westin, as it has completed a multi-million-dollar transformation and relaunched as The Westin Playa Vallarta, an All-Inclusive Resort.

Jamaica’s comeback has been remarkable. All three international airports are operating normally, airlift into Montego Bay has expanded, and most of the island’s resorts are taking bookings. Many resorts have reopened with thoughtful and meaningful changes rather than simple restorations following last year’s hurricane. A handful of properties are still coming back online through January, which means Jamaica heads into peak season with slightly less inventory than usual, right as displaced Cuba demand arrives. The best rooms at the best properties are going early.

What to do now

1. Book earlier than you normally would. Waiting has always cost a bit. This winter it will cost more.

2. Stay flexible on destination. If you keep an open mind rather than staying fixed on one resort, you’ll find far better value. The Cuba regular who’s willing to consider Puerto Plata or Costa Mujeres is going to do very well this season.

3. Talk to someone who’s actually been there. Our agents have walked these properties, eaten in the restaurants and stayed in the rooms. When a resort is brand new or freshly reopened, first-hand knowledge is the difference between a great week and a disappointing one.

4. Remember it costs you nothing. There’s no markup, no service charge and no hidden fee for booking with a tripcentral.ca agent. You get expert guidance at the same price you’d pay booking it yourself, plus a real person to call if something goes sideways. Ask the 3,000 Canadians who needed help getting home from Cuba in February how much that’s worth.

Start here

We’ve pulled together our best all-inclusive value right now in two price bands, so you can see exactly what your budget gets you this winter.

→ Top all-inclusive resorts under $1,299 per person

→ Top all-inclusive resorts under $1,500 per person

Or skip the browsing entirely and use the tripcentral.ca grid, our at-a-glance tool that shows you where you can go, when you can go and what it costs, all on one screen. It’s the fastest way to compare an entire winter’s worth of options all in one place.

Cuba will be back, and we’ll be first in line when it is. In the meantime, there’s a very good winter waiting for you, and the travellers who book early are going to get the best of it.

Talk to a tripcentral.ca agent today or explore on your own with the grid.