Using an algorithm for simulating equilibrium configurations, we measure the confinement free energy  of a fluctuating helical polymer either (i) contained in a cylindrical pore or (ii) wrapped around a cylindrical rod. We work in the regime where both the contour length and the persistence length of the helical polymer are  much larger than the diameter of the cylinder and compare our findings with known results for the ordinary semi-flexible polymer or worm-like chain. In case (ii) we obtain an estimate of the probability that one end of the helical polymer escapes from the cylinder and wanders away.