I see a lot of yachts that have been refitted. Most of the time, an owner wants to update the look of the boat’s interior, so he tears out and replaces the curtains, the carpeting, the sofa cushions: things most commonly referred to as “soft goods” in the boating industry. Sometimes, refits are more extensive, including bashing through bulwarks and reconfiguring staterooms and general layouts. In even more thorough refits, machinery and wiring may be refurbished or replaced.

In virtually all cases the driving force behind the refit is to make a yacht more attractive, either for the owner’s personal use or to you as a potential charter client. Rarely does thinking about environmentally friendly workmanship come into play—which is why I was so pleasantly surprised when I toured the recently refit 113-foot motoryacht Celebration. She’s part of the Camper & Nicholsons fleet, taking 10 guests at a base rate of $76,200 per week (or $9,525 per person, with 25-percent expenses included).

If you didn’t know any better, you might think she was just another lovely refit job. But the truth is, Celebration is far more than that. She’s the first fully crewed yacht I’ve encountered in a half-dozen years with an owner who kept the environment in mind when deciding how to refit his yacht’s interior. The $3-million, two-and-a-half-year refit included no leather or animal products, along with re-used design elements such as a dining room chandelier made from a gorgeously converted antique tabletop.

What I love about Celebration is not just the fact that her owner did such an admirable job of trying to preserve the planet around which he plans to cruise, but what the owner himself represents—an opportunity for you, the charter client, to support the kind of businesspeople who do the right thing.

When you book a cruise ship, for instance, you’re dealing with a multinational corporation whose goal is usually to squeeze every last dollar of profit from its operations. With private yacht charters—bareboat or crewed—there is of course an issue of profit, but you’re dealing instead with individual boat owners who may have other personal goals, as well (such as taking care of the environment).

Reputable charter brokers can help you find yachts that you not only will feel great cruising onboard, but that you also will feel great about supporting financially. It’s just another benefit to choosing a private yacht charter vacation of any kind.