That is why I'd suggest a separate Tutorial that is self contained and launched from a separate menu, and which can be skipped if desired.
Of course it drags if you try to extend the tutorial into the Mind Flayer ship and then onto the beach as well, that approach is inefficient. It stalls the story launch, screws the pacing, and gives only a piecemeal tutorial at best, since you can't cover everything when the tutorial is set... on a crashing Nautiloid.
Some things you could do in a more standard Tutorial that would be helpful...
Movement and Cam control
Action tutorial to highlight stuff like jump, hide, dash, throw, etc with prompts and situations for each.
Extended Combat tutorials, both solo and grouped, first with an emphasis on basic attacks/actions advantage, shoving pinning dipping etc, but leading into more nuanced support stuff.
Extended Non-Combat or Pre-Combat tutorials, for buffs, healing or stuff like stealing, or convo related like guidance or friends etc.
Spellcasting more generally, with spell prep explaining what cantrips are or how they're different from spells, also consumables.
Hotbar tutorial (and hopefully a spellbook tutorial, if it ever gets its own UI element.)
Resting tutorial, to explain short rest vs long rest or the camp dynamic.
help downed PC and restoration tutorial (someone gets dead)
Map, Mini Map, Journal and quest tracking tutorial.
Leveling tutorial. Like lvl up a temporary companion, so players can get a sense of how that works with some throw away tutorial NPC companion, low pressure decision.
Equipment and Inventory management, send to group/camp, Barter etc tutorial.
There should be more tooltips for these type things but this can be easily done on the ship or the first instance of something (like with the Help action or the first visit to a shop.) Should be able to turn this off in menu options as well.
The reason to have PCs buy their starting equipment is primarily because its entertaining and traditional for lvl1 adventures, but also to help introduce the game's internal economy and establish its floor... But again, mainly as an excuse to tutor the new player on Inventory and Equipment management, Barter or Merchant menus and skills related to them.
In its current 5e incarnation we have...
Fighters and Priests 5d4 × 10 gp
Rouges and Wizards 4d4 × 10 gp
The trade/barter thing should definitely be made more clear but I am pretty sure none of us were abducted while on a shopping trip, buying gear would make no sense. It is ok for DnD but nearly all the video games I play have started you off with basic equipment or nothing.
But in an actual tutorial level you can play it up even more by class archetype or background, if you put that at or near the end of the tutorial.
Right now there are only what, like 10 backgrounds in this game? Is that really "too many variables" to manage?
Yes it is.
Take the Criminal background as an example. Were you in a guild or freelance or something else? What type of criminal were you? Thief, spy, enforcer, bandit, murderer, gambler or something else. These are only some ideas but I don't want to write a whole page on this. How would you incorporate these into something for everyone? The typical version is being a thief and part of a guild. Completely immersion breaking for someone who wants to be a bandit and may never enter a city, or an infiltrator who would never steal. Some options in dialogue would be fine, you can simply not pick them if they don't apply, but using this in a tutorial would be horrible.
I have said many times that they should maybe add custom templates for people that have a hard time coming up with things but leave the current custom option for the rest of us.
