KIX Kansei Airport To Kobe Cruise Terminal transfer and Hotel Help

We are flying into the airport the night before. Should we book a hotel close to KIX airport and use the Princess Transfer ($148) the next day?

OR

Are we better off staying close to the cruise terminal instead the night before and arranging a taxi to the port instead? Transportation suggestions to do so and cost?

Hotel recommendations for either option?

I know there is a Ferry we could take from KIX to Kobe airport and then the Port Liner to the cruise terminal as well. Just concerned with trying to do all that when we arrive in the evening - as we would still need to get to a cruise terminal hotel from the Port Liner.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

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There are several nice hotels located within a 5 minute drive of the Kobe Cruise Terminal.

Hotels at KIX tend to be more pricey.

There is a high speed ferry between KIX and Kobe Airport; cost is less than US$8 per person.

Travel time is about 20 minutes.

From the ferry terminal at Kobe airport, there is a local train that stops at the Kobe Cruise Terminal.

The train cars have luggage storage; the trip from Airport to Cruise Terminal takes about 15 minutes and costs about US$4 per person. That same train terminates at the Kobe JR Station, 4 minutes later.

If you stay at a hotel near the Kobe JR station, you can take the same Airport train from the JR Station to the Cruise Terminal. Travel time is 4 minutes; cost is about 180 yen per person.