I can at least give you some advice for the missing NPC situation. So i've also been running Tall-Tales to try to get my Shores of Gold curse. During a run last night and this morning, Wild Rose bugged out and the NPCs wouldn't spawn to turn them in until I found a work-around. You go to the island with no tall-tale active, check to make sure the NPCs are present, then activate the tall-tale and turn them in. For the Wild Rose the guy suggested joining the OoS emissaries first, not sure if that actually helped or not, but I was able to turn in the Pendants.

@k4tl Oddly enough, we had the reverse; FOUND the key early on but, there was no wreck to use the key on. The manifest was just floating on the surface, bobbing with the waves, it was most perplexing

Had a key spawn halfway inside a rock. I got it but Only because I saw the blue glow.

@k4tl I feel your pain matey!

Think I'm currently on 4 bugged shipment voyages in a row at the moment. There should almost be a commendation for it!

Clearly something's a miss so hopefully Rare are looking in to sorting them out soon.

@k4tl haven't missed keys yet but I am literally only getting a 50% shipwreck spawn rate. It is quite sad that you have to open so many cabins and yet you have to do double the amount of quests because they just aren't there half the time.

@k4tl aye... Captain @Fishst1ck and I have had a fair few keys and/or ships missing in these voyages.

Annoying is not the word.

@luciansanchez82 had a similar issue himself on Saturday.

aye this is a problem. Ive found that if yer boat happens to run over these pricy trinkets they often sink to depths of the sea, causing great despair as you look into that unopened captains cabin packed with mounds of loot matey.