Designed to hold and have real life people inside are two very different things. NASA didn't want to have a successful mission and then lose their hero astronauts because they couldn't find them at sea in time.
Also remember that NASA was doing this in the age before GPS...
And then we all know how wikipedia is. I'll be following links for the rest of the afternoon and probably shake myself out of it when I realize that I've been looking at Wikpedia articles for Marvel superheroes for 20 minutes.
Musk said during the press conference today that they're targeting thruster landings (in any atmosphere!) within 3 years, or more like 4-5 if they encounter difficulties.
The Dragon capsule is designed to hold people, so SpaceX wouldn't need a bigger ship or crane to haul them in.