Staff Booking Terms & Conditions

Updated: 25 March 2026

This document sets out the booking terms and conditions of Quarterdeck Life Ltd (“Quarterdeck”, “QD”, “we”, “us” and “our”), a company incorporated and registered in England and Wales with company number 08712742 and registered office at Zeeta House, 200 Upper Richmond Road, Putney, London, United Kingdom, SW15 2SH.

These terms apply to requests for, bookings of, placements of, and payments for staff services arranged through Quarterdeck, including but not limited to skippers, chefs, hosts, stewards, marine engineers, mechanics, electricians, bartenders, sommeliers, instructors, fitness professionals, medics, photographers, videographers, DJs, and other listed or sourced personnel (each a “Staff Member”).

These terms govern the relationship between QD and the client, customer, hirer, company, operator, or other booking party making or proceeding with a staff request or booking (“you” and “your”).

Please read these terms carefully before submitting a request or proceeding with a booking. By submitting a request, confirming a booking, or making any payment in connection with a staff booking through QD, you agree to be bound by these terms.

These terms apply in addition to QD’s general Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. If there is any conflict between these terms and QD’s general Terms of Service in relation to a staff booking, placement, or payment, these terms shall prevail.

In these terms:

“Assignment” means the period, engagement, placement, trip, event, charter, stay, season, or other services for which a Staff Member is requested, booked, or engaged through QD.

“Booking” means a confirmed staff booking or placement accepted by QD in accordance with these terms.

“Booking Confirmation” means the written confirmation issued by QD confirming the relevant Booking.

“Booking Price” means the total price payable by you to QD for the relevant Booking, as set out in the Booking Confirmation or otherwise confirmed by QD in writing.

“Restricted Engagement” means any direct or indirect employment, engagement, contracting, retention, secondment, consultancy, freelance arrangement, payroll engagement, or other use of a Staff Member introduced by QD, other than through QD or with QD’s prior written consent.

“Staff Member” means any crew member, contractor, worker, freelancer, consultant, or other service provider introduced, proposed, or booked through QD.

“Start Date” means the date on which the relevant Assignment is due to begin.

1. Requests and Booking Process

You may submit a general request for staff through QD, or you may request a specific Staff Member where that option is made available.

Submission of a request is free of charge unless expressly stated otherwise. A request does not create a binding booking, guarantee availability, guarantee that any specific Staff Member will be provided, or oblige QD to accept the request.

QD may review your request and may ask for further information, including details of the role required, dates, location, service expectations, accommodation arrangements, travel arrangements, guest profile, legal or compliance requirements, and any other information reasonably necessary to assess the request and propose suitable Staff Members.

Where you request a specific Staff Member, QD will use reasonable endeavours to assess whether that individual is available and suitable for the Assignment. If that Staff Member is unavailable, unsuitable, or no longer offered through QD, QD may, but is not obliged to, recommend a substitute or alternative candidate.

A Booking will only be secured when:

Until both of those steps have occurred, no Booking is secured. QD does not guarantee that a suitable Staff Member will be available for every request, and no obligation arises on QD to fill any request unless and until QD issues a Booking Confirmation.

QD reserves the right to decline any request, refuse any proposed Booking, or withdraw any proposed Staff Member before a Booking is secured, where reasonably necessary for operational, legal, regulatory, safeguarding, safety, suitability, availability, or commercial reasons.

2. Payment Terms

There is no charge to submit a request for staff unless expressly stated otherwise.

If you decide to proceed with a Booking, a 50% deposit of the Booking Price is required to secure the Booking.

Unless otherwise agreed by QD in writing, the remaining 50% balance of the Booking Price is due 30 days before the Start Date of the Assignment.

If the Start Date falls within 30 days of the date on which QD issues the Booking Confirmation, the full Booking Price shall be payable immediately or within such shorter period as QD may specify in writing.

No Booking is secured until the required deposit has been received by QD in cleared funds.

QD reserves the right not to release the Staff Member’s direct contact details, make a formal introduction, or confirm final Assignment arrangements until the Booking Price has been paid in full.

All prices and fees quoted by QD are exclusive of any taxes, duties, permit costs, visa costs, work permit administration costs, travel costs, accommodation costs, provisioning costs, or other third-party costs unless expressly stated otherwise in writing.

QD may require additional payments, pass-through costs, or reimbursements where the Assignment involves specific compliance requirements, permits, visas, special travel arrangements, unusual logistics, or other agreed extras.

If you fail to make any payment when due, QD may suspend the Booking, withhold introductions or Assignment details, withdraw the proposed Staff Member, cancel the Booking, and retain or refund sums paid by you in accordance with these terms.

Any extension to a payment deadline, alternative payment arrangement, or variation to the payment structure shall only be binding if confirmed by QD in writing.

3. Cancellations, Refunds and Substitutions

You may cancel a Booking at any time by notifying QD in writing. Any cancellation request shall be deemed received on the next working day after it is sent.

If you cancel a Booking, the following refund terms shall apply unless otherwise agreed by QD in writing:

For the avoidance of doubt, once the final balance has fallen due, all sums paid and payable in respect of the Booking shall be non-refundable.

If you request a change to the Start Date, duration, location, role, scope, or other material aspect of the Assignment, QD may treat that request as:

depending on the nature of the change and the availability of suitable Staff Members.

QD is under no obligation to agree to any requested change to a Booking.

If a confirmed Staff Member becomes unavailable before the Start Date, or if QD reasonably determines that the Staff Member is no longer suitable for the Assignment, QD may, but is not obliged to, propose a substitute or alternative candidate.

If QD proposes a substitute, QD will use reasonable endeavours to recommend a Staff Member who is reasonably suitable for the Assignment, having regard to the role, dates, location, experience level, and service requirements previously agreed.

If no suitable substitute can be provided, or if QD cancels the Booking, QD shall refund any sums paid by you in respect of the affected Booking.

QD shall not be liable for any flights, accommodation, transport, provisioning, permit costs, visa costs, loss of opportunity, loss of profit, loss of enjoyment, or any other indirect or consequential costs or losses arising from any cancellation, substitution, or unavailability, except where such liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

4. Introductions, Direct Contact, Direct Hire and No Circumvention

QD may introduce you to a proposed or confirmed Staff Member as part of the Booking process. Unless QD agrees otherwise in writing, QD reserves the right not to release the Staff Member’s direct contact details, or to delay any direct introduction, until the Booking Price has been paid in full.

Any introduction of a Staff Member by QD, whether through the Services, by email, by message, verbally, or otherwise, is confidential and is made solely for the purpose of evaluating, confirming, and carrying out a Booking through QD.

For the purposes of this clause, “Restricted Engagement” means any direct or indirect employment, engagement, contracting, retention, secondment, consultancy, freelance arrangement, payroll engagement, or other use of a Staff Member introduced by QD, other than through QD or with QD’s prior written consent.

You must not, whether directly or indirectly:

contact, solicit, engage, employ, contract with, pay, or otherwise retain any Staff Member introduced by QD other than through QD;
seek to move any proposed or confirmed Assignment off-platform or outside QD;
ask or encourage any Staff Member to work with you outside QD in connection with an introduction made by QD;
enter into, propose, facilitate, or permit any Restricted Engagement; or
avoid, bypass, undermine, or circumvent QD in relation to any introduction, request, Booking, placement, or Assignment.

If you wish to extend, repeat, renew, materially vary, or otherwise continue an Assignment with a Staff Member introduced by QD, this must be arranged through QD and will remain subject to these terms and any other applicable terms notified by QD.

If you wish to move a Staff Member introduced by QD into:

an internal employee role;
a direct consultant or contractor role;
an exclusive or longer-term role;
a role with any affiliate, group company, related party, or connected business; or
any other arrangement outside QD,

you must first notify QD in writing and obtain QD’s prior written consent.

QD may, in its discretion, agree to such arrangement subject to:

Until such agreement has been signed and the applicable fee has been paid in full, any such direct or indirect engagement shall be treated as a breach of these terms.

If any Staff Member introduced by QD approaches you, or if you receive any proposal, suggestion, or invitation to deal directly with that Staff Member outside QD, you must notify QD in writing as soon as reasonably possible and in any event within 48 hours.

Any contact details, profile information, personal data, availability information, or other information relating to a Staff Member disclosed by QD or obtained during the Booking or Assignment may only be used for the purpose of evaluating, confirming, and carrying out the relevant Booking through QD, and must not be retained, reused, or repurposed for any other purpose except as required by law.

QD reserves the right to refuse or withdraw any introduction, suspend any Booking, or cease dealing with you if QD reasonably believes that you have breached, or are likely to breach, this clause.

Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies available to QD, if you breach this clause, QD may:

claim from you any losses, damages, costs, fees, commissions, margins, or other sums reasonably incurred or lost by QD as a result of that breach;
seek injunctive relief, specific performance, or other equitable relief;
recover its reasonable legal and enforcement costs; and
set off any such sums against any amounts otherwise payable by QD to you or to any related party, where legally permitted.

This clause shall continue to apply during the Booking process, throughout the Assignment, and for 18 months after the end of the relevant Assignment or, where no Assignment takes place, for 18 months after the relevant introduction or proposed Booking.

5. Client Responsibilities and Assignment Conditions

You are responsible for ensuring that the Assignment details provided to QD are accurate, complete, and kept up to date at all times.

You must provide QD, and where appropriate the relevant Staff Member, with all information reasonably necessary for the proper assessment, preparation, and delivery of the Assignment, including details of:

the role required;
the Start Date and end date;
the location and nature of the Assignment;
the expected duties and service level;
the working environment and any material risks;
the number and type of guests, clients, or participants involved;
accommodation, travel, and meal arrangements where relevant;
any legal, regulatory, safeguarding, licensing, permit, or compliance requirements; and
any other information which may reasonably affect the suitability, safety, or performance of the Assignment.

You are responsible for ensuring that the Assignment, the working environment, and any instructions given by you are lawful, safe, appropriate, and consistent with the role booked.

You must not require or permit any Staff Member to perform duties which:

are materially different from the role agreed through QD;
are unlawful, unsafe, or unreasonable;
require licences, permits, qualifications, or legal permissions which the Staff Member has not been confirmed by QD as holding; or
would place the Staff Member, your guests, your property, or any third party at unreasonable risk.

You are responsible for obtaining and maintaining any approvals, permissions, licences, permits, insurance, accommodation arrangements, travel arrangements, or local authorisations required for the Assignment on your side, unless QD has expressly agreed in writing to arrange a particular item.

Where the Assignment requires a visa, work permit, local registration, right-to-work approval, or similar compliance process, QD may assist in coordination if agreed, but unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, the associated costs, administration costs, and third-party fees shall be your responsibility.

You must treat all Staff Members engaged through QD in a lawful, professional, respectful, and non-discriminatory manner and must provide a working environment that is reasonably suitable for the role and consistent with applicable health, safety, safeguarding, and welfare requirements.

You must notify QD as soon as reasonably possible of any material change to the Assignment, including changes to dates, location, duties, guest numbers, accommodation, travel, risks, compliance requirements, or any issue affecting the safety, legality, or suitability of the Assignment.

QD reserves the right to review, vary, suspend, or cancel a Booking where QD reasonably considers that the Assignment details provided are inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, materially changed, unlawful, unsafe, non-compliant, or otherwise unsuitable for the Staff Member or the role booked.

6. Nature of Relationship and Status of Staff Members

Unless QD expressly agrees otherwise in writing, QD acts as a booking, placement, coordination, and invoicing intermediary in relation to Staff Members arranged through QD.

The precise legal and working status of a Staff Member may vary depending on the role, location, duration, compliance requirements, and booking structure. A Staff Member may be engaged as an independent contractor, consultant, freelancer, worker, employee, or under another assignment-specific structure as determined by QD and the applicable role-specific agreement.

Nothing in these terms creates an employment relationship, worker relationship, partnership, joint venture, or agency relationship between you and QD.

Nothing in these terms prevents a separate legal relationship from existing between you and the relevant Staff Member where this is expressly agreed in writing or arises under the applicable assignment structure, local law, or any separate agreement notified by QD.

QD may use separate role-specific agreements, assignment terms, or engagement documents for individual Staff Members. Those documents govern the Staff Member’s own relationship with QD and/or the assignment structure applicable to that role, but they do not replace these terms as between you and QD.

You acknowledge that QD’s role may include sourcing, screening, matching, coordinating, invoicing, payment administration, and managing the booking process, but QD does not guarantee that any Staff Member is your employee, agent, or representative unless expressly confirmed in writing.

You are responsible for complying with any obligations which apply to you in connection with the Assignment under applicable law, including any obligations arising from local labour, immigration, tax, health and safety, safeguarding, insurance, or licensing rules, to the extent those obligations fall on the hiring party, host, operator, property owner, or end client.

Nothing in these terms gives you any right to employ, directly engage, or otherwise retain a Staff Member outside QD except as expressly agreed by QD in writing.

7. Staff Performance and Standards

QD uses reasonable endeavours to source, assess, and place Staff Members who are suitable for the Assignment based on the information available to QD at the time of booking.

Any description of a Staff Member’s experience, qualifications, capabilities, languages, ratings, profile information, availability, or suitability is provided in good faith based on information supplied to or assessed by QD, but QD does not guarantee any particular outcome, performance level, personal compatibility, or commercial result.

You acknowledge that service quality, personal fit, guest feedback, and operational performance may be affected by factors outside QD’s control, including the accuracy of the Assignment brief, working conditions, travel or accommodation arrangements, local circumstances, weather, guest behaviour, and changes made after booking.

If you have any concern regarding a Staff Member’s conduct, suitability, performance, safety, welfare, or the delivery of the Assignment, you must notify QD as soon as reasonably possible and, where practicable, before the end of the Assignment.

QD will use reasonable endeavours to review the matter and, where appropriate, seek to support a practical resolution. Depending on the circumstances, this may include clarification of the role, operational guidance, adjustment of arrangements, or consideration of a replacement, but QD is not obliged to provide a replacement except where QD expressly agrees to do so or where these terms otherwise require it.

You must not withhold payment, make direct deductions from sums payable to QD, or make separate financial arrangements with a Staff Member without QD’s prior written consent, even where a complaint or performance concern has arisen.

If QD reasonably considers that a complaint concerns misconduct, safety, safeguarding, illegality, or serious unsuitability, QD may investigate the matter, suspend or withdraw the Staff Member from the Assignment, propose an alternative where appropriate, or take any other action QD reasonably considers necessary.

Nothing in this clause limits any other rights or remedies available to QD under these terms.

8. Liability and Limitations

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits QD’s liability for:

QD acts as a booking, placement, coordination, and invoicing intermediary in relation to Staff Members arranged through QD. Except where expressly stated otherwise in writing, QD does not act as the on-site manager, operator, employer, or supervisor of the Staff Member for the purposes of the Assignment.

Subject to the above, and to the maximum extent permitted by law, QD shall not be liable for:

any indirect, consequential, incidental, or special loss or damage;
any loss of profit, revenue, business, contracts, goodwill, opportunity, anticipated savings, or reputation;
any loss arising from the unavailability, illness, withdrawal, delay, late arrival, non-arrival, replacement, or non-performance of any Staff Member;
any loss arising from inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or late information provided by you or any third party;
any loss arising from travel disruption, weather, local restrictions, visa or permit issues, accommodation issues, transport issues, guest behaviour, site conditions, property conditions, or other circumstances outside QD’s reasonable control; or
any act or omission of any Staff Member during an Assignment, except to the extent caused by QD’s own negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or other liability which cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

QD does not guarantee uninterrupted availability, any particular commercial outcome, personal compatibility, guest satisfaction, or the performance of any Assignment to any particular standard beyond the obligations expressly stated in these terms.

Nothing in these terms makes QD liable for supervising or controlling the day-to-day work of a Staff Member during an Assignment unless QD has expressly agreed in writing to do so.

Where QD is liable to you, QD’s total liability arising out of or in connection with any Booking shall not exceed the total sums paid by you to QD for that Booking.

9. Cancellation by QD and Events Outside QD’s Reasonable Control

QD may cancel a Booking, withdraw a proposed Staff Member, or suspend or terminate an Assignment before or during the Assignment where QD reasonably considers this necessary due to:

Staff Member unavailability, illness, withdrawal, or non-performance;
safety, safeguarding, or welfare concerns;
legal, regulatory, visa, permit, licensing, or compliance issues;
inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information provided by you;
material changes to the Assignment;
operational reasons; or
events outside QD’s reasonable control.

Events outside QD’s reasonable control may include epidemic, pandemic, public health restrictions, government action, travel restrictions, weather events, natural disaster, transport disruption, local restrictions, venue closure, property unavailability, marina or port restrictions, or other events which materially affect the Assignment.

If QD cancels a Booking before the Start Date and no replacement or suitable alternative is provided or accepted, QD shall refund any sums paid by you in respect of the affected Booking.

If QD proposes a replacement Staff Member or a reasonable alternative arrangement and you reject that replacement or alternative, QD may treat the Booking as cancelled by you, and the cancellation and refund provisions in these terms shall apply.

If QD cancels or interrupts an Assignment after the Start Date due to events outside QD’s reasonable control, QD may, at its discretion, offer:

but QD shall not be obliged to do so unless required by law or expressly stated otherwise in these terms.

QD shall not be liable for any flights, accommodation, transport, provisioning, permit costs, visa costs, third-party charges, loss of opportunity, loss of enjoyment, or any other indirect or consequential costs or losses arising from any cancellation, interruption, delay, substitution, or other event covered by this clause, except where such liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

10. Complaints, Disputes and Payment Withholding

If you have any complaint, concern, or dispute relating to a Staff Member, a Booking, or an Assignment, you must notify QD in writing as soon as reasonably possible and, where the issue arises during the Assignment, during the Assignment itself.

You must provide QD with reasonable details of the issue, including the nature of the complaint, the timing of the issue, the persons involved, and any steps already taken.

QD will use reasonable endeavours to review the matter and, where appropriate, seek to support a practical resolution. Depending on the circumstances, this may include clarification of the agreed scope, operational guidance, discussion with the Staff Member, or consideration of a replacement or alternative arrangement, but QD is not obliged to provide any particular remedy unless expressly required by these terms or by law.

You must not:

unless QD has expressly agreed to this in writing.

If you fail to raise a complaint within a reasonable time, or fail to notify QD during the Assignment where the issue could reasonably have been addressed during the Assignment, QD may take that delay into account when assessing the complaint and any request for a remedy.

Nothing in this clause limits any rights or remedies available to QD under these terms.

11. Indemnity

You shall indemnify and keep indemnified QD against all losses, liabilities, damages, costs, expenses, and claims, including reasonable legal and professional costs, suffered or incurred by QD arising out of or in connection with:

your breach of these terms;
any inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information provided by you in connection with a request, Booking, or Assignment;
any unlawful, unsafe, discriminatory, or otherwise improper condition, instruction, or requirement imposed by you in relation to an Assignment;
your breach of any applicable law, licence, permit, visa, work authorisation, safeguarding, health and safety, insurance, or compliance obligation falling on you as the client, hirer, operator, host, or booking party;
your direct or indirect solicitation, engagement, or attempted engagement of any Staff Member outside QD in breach of these terms; or
any claim brought by a third party arising from your acts or omissions in connection with a Booking or Assignment.

12. Suspension, Withdrawal and Termination

QD may suspend, withdraw, restrict, or terminate any request, Booking, proposed placement, Staff Member introduction, or Assignment at any time where QD reasonably considers this necessary:

because you have breached these terms;
to protect the safety, welfare, safeguarding, or legal position of any Staff Member, guest, client, or third party;
for legal, regulatory, visa, permit, licensing, insurance, or compliance reasons;
because the Assignment details are inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, materially changed, unlawful, unsafe, or unsuitable;
because the proposed or confirmed Staff Member is unavailable, unsuitable, unwilling, or no longer able to perform the Assignment; or
where the Booking or Assignment otherwise poses a risk to QD, the Staff Member, you, your guests, your property, or any third party.

Where QD suspends, withdraws, or terminates a Booking or Assignment under this clause, QD’s obligations shall be limited to those expressly set out in these terms, including any refund obligation expressly stated elsewhere in these terms.

Suspension, withdrawal, or termination under this clause does not affect any rights, remedies, obligations, or liabilities accrued before the date of suspension, withdrawal, or termination.

13. General

If any provision of these terms, or any part of a provision, is found by a court or other authority of competent jurisdiction to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, that provision or part-provision shall be deemed deleted to the extent necessary, and the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of these terms shall not be affected.

If QD does not enforce any provision of these terms, or delays in doing so, this shall not prevent QD from enforcing that provision or any other provision at a later date.

You may not transfer, assign, or otherwise deal with any of your rights or obligations under these terms without QD’s prior written consent.

QD may transfer or assign its rights and obligations under these terms to another organisation, provided that this will not adversely affect your rights under these terms.

These terms, together with any Booking Confirmation and any other written terms expressly incorporated by QD, constitute the entire agreement between you and QD in relation to the relevant Booking and supersede any prior discussions, correspondence, understandings, or arrangements relating to that Booking.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms, and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them, their subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer, you may also benefit from any mandatory rights available to you under the laws of your country of residence, and you may bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence where applicable.

If you are not a consumer, the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms, their subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims).