We will be leaving on a cruise from Kobe but would like to stay in Osaka pre-cruise. Are there inexpensive transportation options to get from the Osaka Station area to the cruise terminal in Kobe without using the trains? We will have several pieces of luggage, so training would not be feasible. We've been told that it would cost $170 to hire private transportation. Is there anything that costs less? Contact information?

It's quite far, so other than train or public bus, your option would be taxi or hotel arranged transfer. Both will be expensive. You could e-mail your hotel and see what their price would be for a transfer for you that they arranged. A taxi would likely be in the ¥10,000 or more range...you could ask your hotel about taxi fare as well to get a better idea.

Are there any limousine companies that have websites that I can check out?

The only one in the area that I am aware of is MK Taxi. http://www.mk-group.co.jp/english/
Taxi companies offer private hire for set rates rather than meter on request...you'd have to contact the taxi companies directly, and few will speak English, so I'd advise you to ask your hotel about that.

For the most part, people here either drive themselves/are driven to places like the airport or transport hub, or they take public transportation.

You could find out if the port office for your cruise accepts baggage sent there and have your bags delivered there...send them the day before the cruise from your hotel. Could be impossible though, if the Kobe port office is like the Osaka port office in that they do not accept baggage. IF they do accept baggage, you could easily use the train yourself without bags.

It's 30 or 40 minutes from JR Osaka station to Kobe station. You don't have to take all of your luggage on one train. Make multiple trips and you can do it, cheap, as the train fare is only 390 yen each way. So 1560 for two people to shuttle 1 bag each for two trips. Would take time and effort, of course.

What is your itinerary in getting to Osaka? How are you and your luggage getting to Osaka? Howw long will you be there? Why Osaka? (Hilton points I would guess)

Making two trips is an idea...but will take time. 40 minutes each way times 3 plus another 30 minutes to get in and out of hotel...two hours or more. I'd rather send bags ahead if possible.